Anticoagulation and Thrombolysis
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 5, 2026

An In vitro System to Gauge the Thrombolytic Efficacy of Histotripsy and a Lytic Drug
Published on: June 4, 2021
Michael Q Dong1, Tania Ahuja2, Geno Merli3
1Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract:
Pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition requiring prompt anticoagulation to prevent clot propagation and recurrence. Risk stratification guides therapy, with systemic thrombolysis reserved for high-risk patients and selected intermediate-high risk cases due to significant bleeding risk. Direct oral anticoagulants are preferred for most low and intermediate-low risk patients, while low-molecular-weight heparin and unfractionated heparin remain critical for higher- risk or procedurally complex cases. Emerging strategies including low-dose thrombolysis, catheter-directed therapies, and the future use of Factor XI inhibitors may improve safety without compromising efficacy. Management of bleeding complications necessitates rapid intervention, reversal when available, and coordinated multidisciplinary care.
Related Concept Videos
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...
Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
Clot Retraction and Fibrinolysis
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
