Early Warning Value of D-Dimer in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Complicated by Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent respiratory disorder among older adults. It is characterized by a prolonged disease course and persistent chronic airway inflammation, and patients often exhibit a pronounced hypercoagulable state. Pulmonary embolism is an insidious and potentially life-threatening complication of COPD. In the early stage, typical manifestations such as chest pain and hemoptysis may be absent, making the condition prone to missed diagnosis. As a sensitive biomarker of thrombus formation, D-dimer has important clinical value in the early identification of thrombotic risk through dynamic monitoring. Based on a typical case of an elderly patient with long-standing COPD and hypertension who subsequently developed multiple bilateral pulmonary emboli, together with relevant findings from the literature, this article explores the early warning value of dynamic changes in D-dimer levels for pulmonary embolism in patients with COPD, with the aim of providing a reference for screening and early intervention in primary clinical practice.