Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are most commonly triggered by infections, but up to 25% of those that require hospitalization are thought to be triggered by acute pulmonary embolism. We present the case of a 71-year-old patient with a history of unprovoked pulmonary embolisms on anticoagulation therapy hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation. The exacerbation was triggered by an acute pulmonary embolism, representing anticoagulation failure.
The Clot Thickens: Diagnosing Acute Pulmonary Embolism as a Trigger for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation in the Setting of Anticoagulation Failure
