title: Anticoagulants and thrombolysis in the treatment of pulmonary embolism.
abstract: Intravenous heparin followed by oral warfarin sodium is effective for preventing recurrent thromboembolism in patients who have pulmonary embolism or proximal vein thrombosis. The effectiveness of intravenous heparin depends on obtaining an adequate anticoagulant response early during therapy. A validated heparin protocol should be used to ensure that an adequate anticoagulant response is obtained as soon as possible. Low molecular weight heparin has the practical advantage that it does not require monitoring and dose finding. If thrombolytic therapy is indicated, it is safer for many patients to base management on the noninvasive diagnosis rather than performing pulmonary angiography. In patients suspected to have pulmonary embolism who have nondiagnostic lung scan and adequate cardiorespiratory reserve, serial noninvasive leg testing is a practical approach that avoids pulmonary angiography, identifies patients who have proximal vein thrombosis requiring treatment, and avoids the risks of anticoagulant treatment in the majority of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190, USA.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Raskob
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D014859:Warfarin; D006493:Heparin; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator