title: Pulmonary embolism response teams.
abstract: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common thrombotic event that is variable in its presentation. Depending on the patients' risk for mortality, guidelines provide several treatment strategies including thrombolysis, catheter-directed therapies, pulmonary embolectomy, anticoagulation, and inferior vena cava filters. However, there is considerable disagreement between guidelines regarding the optimal treatment strategy for patients, particularly for those with intermediate-risk PE. In order to provide rapid and individualized care, PE response teams (PERT) have been developed. These teams consist of members from different specialties with a particular interest in PE, varying technical skills, and clinical experience, thereby allowing for a multidisciplinary approach. PERT allows for consensus decision making, and for rapid intervention in patients whose conditions worsen. In this review, we provide an overview of treatment guidelines for PE, and of results from recent clinical trials involving patients with submassive PE. In addition, we discuss an outline of our approach and use of PERT.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine Section, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serhal
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ihab S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Haddadin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Gustavo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Heresi
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine Section, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hornacek
authors.affiliation: Vascular Medicine Section, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Mehdi H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shishehbor
authors.affiliation: Section Head - Vascular Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue J3-5, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA. barthoj@ccf.org.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bartholomew
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017128:Embolectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016306:Vena Cava Filters
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: Pulmonary embolism; Pulmonary embolism response team (PERT); Rapid response team; Thrombolytic; Venous thromboembolism