Trends in thrombolytic treatment and outcomes of acute pulmonary embolism in Germany

Aims Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common cardiovascular cause of death; systemic thrombolysis is potentially lifesaving treatment in patients presenting with haemodynamic instability. We investigated trends in the use of systemic thrombolysis and the outcome of patients with acute PE. Methods and results We analysed data on the characteristics, comorbidities, treatment, and in-hospital outcome of 885 806 PE patients in Germany between 2005 and 2015. Incidence of acute PE was 99/100 000 population/year and increased from 85/100 000 in 2005 to 109/100 000 in 2015 [β 0.32 (0.26–0.38), P Conclusion Although the proportion of PE patients treated with systemic thrombolysis increased slightly in Germany between 2005 and 2015, only the minority of haemodynamically unstable patients currently receive this treatment. In the nationwide inpatient cohort, thrombolytic therapy was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality rates in PE patients with shock, and also in those who underwent CPR.