CLINICAL EVALUATION OF LUNG INFARCTION IN PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

The clinical evaluation of pulmonary infarction in pregnant women is an extremely important medical issue due to the complexities involved in diagnosing and treating this condition during pregnancy. Pregnant women have an increased risk of developing pulmonary infarction due to factors such as venous stasis, hypercoagulability and vascular compression by the pregnant uterus. The clinical presentation may be atypical, and care must be taken to ensure both maternal and fetal health during evaluation and treatment. Objective: to analyze and synthesize the evidence available in the scientific literature related to the clinical evaluation of pulmonary infarction in pregnant women. Methodology: followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist protocol, in the PubMed, Scielo and Web of Science databases and with the following descriptors: "pulmonary infarction," "pregnancy complications," "diagnosis ," "treatment outcome," "systematic review". Inclusion Criteria: Studies published in English or Portuguese, studies that evaluated cases of pulmonary infarction in pregnant women, studies that described diagnostic methods used during pregnancy. Exclusion Criteria: studies that were not directly related to the clinical evaluation of pulmonary infarction in pregnant women, studies with inadequate designs, such as non-systematic case reports or narrative reviews, studies without available data on diagnostic methods, treatment or maternal and fetal outcomes. Results: 9 articles were selected. The review highlighted the importance of using diagnostic methods such as pulmonary angiography, computed tomography (CT) and lung scintigraphy in identifying pulmonary infarction in pregnant women. However, exposure to ionizing radiation was a concern, especially during pregnancy. The studies analyzed demonstrated the need for multidisciplinary treatment involving obstetricians and pulmonologists. Anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin was frequently indicated, but thrombolytic therapy raised concerns due to the risk of bleeding. Conclusion: The systematic review highlighted the complexity of clinical evaluation of pulmonary infarction in pregnant women. Accurate diagnosis is challenging due to overlapping common pregnancy symptoms, making the use of advanced diagnostic methods essential. Treatment must be personalized, taking into account risks and benefits, and close monitoring is essential to ensure favorable outcomes for both the mother and the fetus.