• Hannah C Kulka, Andreas Zeller, Jürgen Fornaro, Walter A Wuillemin, Stavros Konstantinides, and Michael Christ.
• Institute for Anesthesiology, Universiy Hospital Essen; Canton Hospital Basel-Land, University of Basel, Switzerland; Radiology, Canton Hospital Lucerne, Switzerland; Hematology, Canton Hospital Lucerne, Switzerland; School of Medicine, University of Mainz Emergency Center,; Canton Hospital Lucerne, Switzerland.
• Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2021 Sep 17; 118 (37): 618-628.

BackgroundPhysicians from many different specialties see patients suffering from acute pulmonary embolism (PE), which has an incidence of 39-115 cases per 100 000 persons per year. Because PE can be life-threatening, a rapid, targeted response is essential.MethodsThis review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective literature search of international databases, with particular attention to current guidelines and expert opinions.ResultsWhenever PE is suspected, clinical assessment tools must be applied for risk stratification and diagnostic evaluation. The PERC (Pulmonary Embolism Rule-out Criteria) and the YEARS algorithm lead to more effective diagnosis. For hemodynamically unstable patients, bedside echocardiography is of high value and enables risk stratification. New oral anticoagulants have fewer hemorrhagic complications than vitamin K antagonists and are not inferior to them with respect to the risk of recurrent PE (hazard ratio 0.84-1.09). The duration of anticoagulation is set according to the risk of recurrence. Systemic thrombolysis is recommended for patients with a high-risk PE, in whom it significantly reduces mortality (odds ratio 0.53, number needed to treat 59). Surgical or interventional techniques can be considered if thrombolysis is contraindicated or unsuccessful.ConclusionNewly introduced diagnostic aids and algorithms simplify the diagnosis and treatment of acute PE while continuing to assure a high degree of patient safety.

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