Pulmonary Embolism (Hansard, 28 November 2002)

§ Ruth Kelly

I have been asked to reply. The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John Smith dated 28 November 2002: As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many NHS patients died from a pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years (93495) The available data relate to all deaths occurring in England and Wales. It is not possible to state which of these were to NHS patients, as information on whether or not the deceased was a registered NHS patient is not recorded at death registration. Figures on the total number of deaths certified as due to 414W pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis in England and Wales for each year from 1997 to 2001 are therefore given in the table below. Most pulmonary embolisms arise from deep vein thrombosis in the leg, and virtually all deaths from deep vein thrombosis occur as a result of a pulmonary embolism. However, the precise description of this sequence of events leading to death (as provided on the death certificate) effects whether the death is coded as pulmonary embolism or thrombosis. Therefore, a figure combining the two causes is presented in the table to give a complete and consistent picture over time.

Number of deaths from pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis¹, persons, England and Wales, 1997 to 2012
Calendar year	Number of deaths
1997	6,996
1998	6,992
1999	6,877
2000	7,233
2001	7,207
¹ The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 415.1, 451,.1,451.2, 451.9 and 453.9 for the years 1997 to 2000, and, for the year 2001, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes 126, 180.1 180.2 180.3, 180.9 and 182.9. Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year from 1997 to 2001.