OUTPATIENT TREATMENT OF PULMONARY EMBOLISM - A SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Cardiology
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a frequent emergency department diagnosis and cause of hospital admission.
• Risk stratification allows for early discharge of PE patients, optimizing hospital resources and reducing costs.
• Established protocols are crucial for managing PE, including risk assessment for adverse events and bleeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline emergency department protocols for pulmonary embolism (PE) management.
• To emphasize risk stratification for adverse events and bleeding risk in PE patients.
• To detail treatment strategies and outcomes for PE patients managed under these protocols.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with low-risk pulmonary embolism (PE).
• Study period: two-year duration (2020-2021).
• Inclusion of 42 patients discharged within 24 hours or after short-term hospitalization.

Main Results:

• 91% of discharged PE patients received direct oral anticoagulants.
• No adverse events such as hemorrhage, PE progression, or major cardiovascular issues were observed.
• All included patients were discharged following a short observation period (<24 hours).

Conclusions:

• Early discharge and outpatient treatment for pulmonary embolism (PE) are safe and effective.
• This management strategy leads to reduced healthcare expenditures.
• The protocol resulted in a minimal incidence of adverse events in the patient cohort.