current treatment of pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism remains a major contributor to global disease burden. Risk-adapted treatment and follow-up contributes to a favorable outcome. The recommended definitive treatment for patients with high risk pulmonary embolism is thrombolysis. For patients with a contraindication to anticoagulation and thrombolytic therapy, surgical embolectomy and catheter-based therapies are options. In patients with intermediate-high risk pulmonary embolism, initiation of parenteral anticoagulation is recommended withour delay and thrombolytic therapy should only be given in case of hemodynamic worsening. Finally, direct oral anticoagulants have been shown to be as effective as and safer than the combination of low molecular weight heparin and vitamin K antagonist(s) in patients with low- to intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2016; 25(3.000): 433-455]