Thrombolytic Therapy for Pulmonary Embolism

Current, FDA-approved thrombolytic therapy for PE:

• tPA 100 mg over two hours-infusion
• Heparin drip should be turned off during tPA infusion and turned back on ONLY after PTT has fallen to 2 X normal
• Other drugs are being used-like Tenecteplase (TNKase), but strictly speaking, not FDA approved for thrombolysis of PE
• Most studies to date do not show that catheter-based delivery of lytics is safer than systemically administered lytics