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Obesity Surgery
Published in: Obesity Surgery 8/2009

01-08-2009 | Case Report

Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism in an Extremely Obese Patient

Authors: Jeroen Diepstraten, Simone van Kralingen, Repke J. Snijder, Christian M. Hackeng, Bert van Ramshorst, Catherijne A. J. Knibbe

Published in: Obesity Surgery | Issue 8/2009

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Abstract

Low-molecular-weight heparins are effective as initial therapy for pulmonary embolism (PE) in a weight-based dosing regimen up to known body weights of 160 kg. The present case reports an extremely obese man of 252 kg (body mass index (BMI) 74 kg/m2) with PE who was treated with tinzaparin, dosed on a body weight of 160 kg. Morbid obesity defined as a BMI higher than 40 kg/m2 is becoming more common in general practice, but there are no evidence-based drug dosing strategies for these patients. This case demonstrates the successful use of a maximum dose of 28,000 anti-Xa international units of tinzaparin for an extremely obese patient with proven PE, instead of the accepted doses of 175 IU/kg, as bridge therapy to a coumarin.
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Metadata
Title
Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism in an Extremely Obese Patient
Authors
Jeroen Diepstraten
Simone van Kralingen
Repke J. Snijder
Christian M. Hackeng
Bert van Ramshorst
Catherijne A. J. Knibbe
Publication date
01-08-2009
Publisher
Springer New York
Published in
Obesity Surgery / Issue 8/2009
Print ISSN: 0960-8923
Electronic ISSN: 1708-0428
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-009-9886-7

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