RT Journal
A1 Hougie C
T1 THromboembolic disorders and oral contraceptives
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1969
FD May 5
VO 208
IS 5
SP 865
OP 865
DO 10.1001/jama.1969.03160050119022
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1969.03160050119022
AB To the Editor:— 
    An important point on possible relationships between thromboembolic disorders and oral contraceptive agents which was not sufficiently emphasized by your recent correspondents1-4 is that the diagnosis of thromboembolic disease is often difficult. In the study of Freiman et al,5 old or recent thromboemboli were found in 64% (39) of the cases in a series of 61 consecutive adult autopsies. This work shows clearly that only a very small fraction of patients with pulmonary emboli present with clinical manifestations, and while the majority of embolizations are probably of no clinical significance, many of the more severe episodes are overlooked. More recently Morrell and Dunhill6 reported finding pulmonary emboli in 52% of 263 autopsy cases after methodical examination of one lung from each patient; the other lung was examined in the routine autopsy manner and pulmonary emboli were found in only 12%. In other words, the