Md Shahidul Islam
Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden
Title: Thrombolytic therapy by tissue plasminogen activator for pulmonary embolism
Biography
Biography: Md Shahidul Islam
Abstract
Clinicians need to decide about the use of thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) therapy for pulmonary embolism (PE) after carefully considering the risks of major complications from bleeding, and benefits of the treatment for each individual patient. They should probably not use systemic thrombolysis for PE patients with normal blood pressure. Treatment by human recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), alteplase saves lives of high-risk PE patients, i.e., those with hypotension or shock. Even in the absence of strong evidence, clinicians need to choose the most appropriate regimen for administering alteplase for individual patients, based on assessment of the urgency of the situation, risks for major complications from bleeding and patients body-weights. In addition, invasive strategies should be considered when absolute contraindications for thrombolytic therapy exist, serious complications arise or thrombolytic therapy fails.