• Jason R Cuomo, Vishal Arora, and Thad Wilkins.
• From the Division of Cardiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT (JC); Division of Cardiology, Medical College of Georgia at the Augusta University Medical Center (VA); and the Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at the Augusta University Medical Center, Augusta (TW).
• J Am Board Fam Med. 2021 Mar 1; 34 (2): 402-408.

AbstractDespite recent advances in the assessment, risk stratification, and treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), it remains a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the United States each year. Patient presentation and prognosis are heterogeneous, and a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic instruments have arisen to assist in providing patients with the appropriate level of care and aggressiveness of approach. Fortunately, a growing number of institutions now have pulmonary embolism response teams (PERT) that urgently assist with risk assessment and management of patients with massive and sub-massive PE. In service of providers at the point of contact with acute PE, this review aims to summarize the data pertinent to rapid risk assessment and the interpretation of diagnostics used to that end. The role of PERT and the indications for systemic fibrinolysis and invasive therapies are also discussed.© Copyright 2021 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

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