Follow-up after acute pulmonary embolism ‘reduces impairment’

Intensive work-ups allow timely detection of even rare sequela such as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, experts say
Reuters Health

A protocol stipulating close follow-up of patients after acute pulmonary embolism pays off with early detection of late complications or sequelae causing disability, researchers say.

In a study of more than a thousand patients treated for pulmonary embolism (PE) at 17 large-volume centres across Germany, the FOllow-up after aCUte pulmonary embolism Study (FOCUS), demonstrated early diagnosis and treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).