Abstract

MACHADO-VILLARROEL, Limberth  and  GOMEZ-HERNANDEZ, Gregoria. Current pharmacological treatment of pulmonary. Neumol. cir. torax [online]. 2014, vol.73, n.1, pp.49-56. ISSN 0028-3746.

Venous thromboembolism represents a spectrum of the same entity which includes pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. The conventional anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin and low-molecular-weight heparin for 5-10 days is the initial treatment of choice. Pulmonary embolism treatment typically continues with vitamin K antagonists between 3 and 6 months, in some cases anticoagulation is up to 1 year, due to the latency of risk factors. Several studies have confirmed the effectiveness and safety of low-molecular-weight heparin compared with unfractionated heparin in the acute phase treatment of pulmonary embolism; nowadays the use of the latter is routine in both prevention and treatment of deep-vein thrombosis. This differs from the treatment of massive and/or submassive pulmonary embolism requiring fibrinolytic therapy because mortality is up to 70%, strongly related to right ventricular failure and heart failure.

Keywords : Venous thromboembolic disease; pulmonary thromboembolism; unfractionated heparin; low-molecular-weight heparin; vitamin K antagonists.

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