[Management of extensive, potentially fatal, pulmonary embolism]

Extensive pulmonary embolisms were suspected in 11 patients with severe cardiogenic shock admitted to an intensive care unit. The urgently established diagnosis was always based on clinical symptoms and on a complex criteria system elaborated by the authors. The "blind" diagnosis of subtotal pulmonary embolism was confirmed by further noninvasive examinations in 10 cases. During the measures of complex resuscitation, the authors administered high doses of streptokinase in 10 cases and ultra-high dose of streptokinase for one patient. The emergency treatment was successful in four cases.