Bulgarian Cardiology · Published 2026-05-05 · DOI 10.3897/bgcardio.32.e185208
Pulmonary embolism (PE) represents a serious and potentially life-threatening complication in patients with oncologic diseases due to the presence of multiple mechanisms leading to hypercoagulability. The clinical presentation is often nonspecifi c and overlaps with symptoms of infection or tumor progression, which may delay diagnosis. We present the case of a 74-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities and recent chemotherapy, admitted with progressively worsening dyspnea, dry cough, and low-grade fever. The lack of response to empirical antibiotic therapy, together with characteristic laboratory and electrocardiographic fi ndings, prompted further diagnostic evaluation. CT pulmonary angiography revealed bilateral pulmonary embolism with infarct-related changes, while echocardiography indicated an intermediate-risk profi le. Anticoagulant therapy was initiated with a favorable clinical outcome. The presented clinical case highlights the importance of early and targeted differential diagnosis in patients with persistent dyspnea following chemotherapy, as well as the role of a multidisciplinary cardio-oncology approach in ensuring timely diagnosis, risk stratifi cation, and optimization of therapeutic management.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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