Therapy

Give analgesia for pleuritic pain e.g an NSAID if no contraindications

Give anticoagulation ^a - see anticoagulation chapter for more details

• Use a low-molecular weight-heparin ^d  and warfarin ^a  

• for six months for first PE with transient risk factors  ^a  
• indefinitely for  
  • idiopathic cases ^a  
  • recurrent venous thromboembolism ^a  

• thrombolysis ^d     
• embolectomy ^d
• mechanolysis ^d