Thrombolysis Compared With Heparin for the Initial Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials and meta-analyses have reached conflicting conclusions about the role of thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a meta-analysis of all randomized trials comparing thrombolytic therapy with heparin in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Eleven trials, involving 748 patients, were included. Compared with heparin, thrombolytic therapy was associated …