• Home
  • Background
  • References
  • Working Group & Feedback
  • CDT
  • Systemic TPA /TNK Dosing
  • PERT Members
  • More
    • Home
    • Background
    • References
    • Working Group & Feedback
    • CDT
    • Systemic TPA /TNK Dosing
    • PERT Members
  • Home
  • Background
  • References
  • Working Group & Feedback
  • CDT
  • Systemic TPA /TNK Dosing
  • PERT Members

LMWH SHOULD BE GIVEN STAT ON SPECULATION PRIOR TO PERT CONSULT UNLESS CONTRAINDICATED

quick links FOR FIBRINOLYSIS DOSING

CONTRAINDICATIONS TO THROMBOLYSISCARDIAC ARREST DOSINGFULL DOSE THROMBOLYSIS (TPA/TNK)HALF DOSE THROMBOLYSIS (TPA/TNK)HEPARIN DOSING POST THROMBOLYSISTRANSITIONING FROM UFH TO LMWH HOW TOHYBRID THERAPY

quick links FOR OTHER TOPICS ON THIS PAGE

PE TERMINOLOGYHIGH-RISK (MASSIVE) PE DEFINITIONTHROMBOLYSIS CONSIDERATIONS FOR INTERMEIDATE HIGH-RISK

PE TERMINOLOGY CHANGES IN THE LITERATURE

MASSIVE = HIGH-RISK


SUBMASSIVE = INTERMEDIATE HIGH-RISK

Contraindications to thrombolysis

Absolute Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

  • There are no absolute contraindications in an arresting patient 


  • For a patient who is about to arrest you may consider adjusting your dose if contraindications exist


  • Clinical judgement still must be used when considering contraindications and relative contraindications

  1. is there time for embolectomy
  2. is there time for catheter directed thrombolysis
  3. Might a small dose be considered
  4. Might a hybrid approach be necessary?



Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

  • Spinal cord injury this admission


  • TBI this admission


  • ICH this admission


  • Known Brian Neoplasm


  • Known Brain AVM/Aneurysm


  • Stroke within 2 months


  • Surgery within 2 months


  • Aortic Dissection


  • Active Internal Bleeding


  • Bleeding Diathesis

Relative Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

Relative Contraindications

  • Age >75 (consider dose adjustment)


  • Recent internal bleeding


  • Recent ICH


  • Recent Trauma


  • Recent CPR


  • Venipuncture at non compressible site


  • Stoke within 2 months


  • SBP >180


  • DBP>110


  • Pregnancy


  • Currently fully anticoagulated


  • Syncopal episode preceding presentation where trauma to the head is suspected or patient cannot recall event

Cardiac arrest from HIGH-RISK (MASSIVE) PE

TPA

BOLUS:  

  • 50mg IV bolus over 15 minutes (or IV push)


  • May repeat 50mg bolus if still arresting after first bolus


INFUSION:  

  • if full dose not given during arrest


  • infuse remaining 50mg over 1 hour

TNK

BOLUS:  Roughly 0.5mg/kg


  • <60 kg: 30 mg


  • ≥60 to <70 kg: 35 mg


  • ≥70 to <80 kg: 40 mg


  • ≥80 to <90 kg: 45 mg


  • ≥90 kg: 50 mg


  • IV over 10 seconds


  • NO INFUSION

HIGH-RISK (MASSIVE) PE DEFINITION

Official Definition (but clinical impression/interpretation is required)

Any of the following: 


  • Systolic blood pressure (BP) <90 mmHg for a period >15 minutes 


  • Drop in systolic blood pressure substantially below baseline (generally a drop of >40 mmHg,


  • Hypotension requiring vasopressors


  • Clear clinical evidence of shock (altered LOC, cool, mottled, lactate, elevated creatinine etc)

Full-Dose THROMBOLYSIS (HIGH-RISK OR INTERMEDIATE HIGH-RISK)

TPA

TPA

TPA

BOLUS:  

  • 10-20mg IV bolus over 15 minutes


INFUSION:  

  • 80-90mg IV infusion over 1 hour


  • Consider half-dose (see next section below) for patients >75  (increased risk of ICH and you can always give more)

TNK

TPA

TPA

BOLUS:  Roughly 0.5mg/Kg


  • <60 kg: 30 mg


  • ≥60 to <70 kg: 35 mg


  • ≥70 to <80 kg: 40 mg


  • ≥80 to <90 kg: 45 mg


  • ≥90 kg: 50 mg


  • IV over 10 seconds


  • NO INFUSION


  • Consider half-dose (see next section below) for patients >75 (increased risk of ICH and you can always give more)

HALF-DOSE THROMBOLYSIS (HIGH-RISK OR INTERMEDIATE HIGH-RISK)

TPA

BOLUS:  

  • 10-20mg IV bolus over 15 minutes


INFUSION:  

  • 30-40mg IV infusion over 1 hour


TNK

BOLUS:  Roughly 0.25mg/Kg


  • <60 kg: 15 mg


  • ≥60 to <90 kg: 20 mg


  • ≥90 kg: 25mg


  • IV over 10 seconds


  • NO INFUSION

HOW AND WHEN TO START HEPARIN AFTER THROMBOLYSIS

Patient may have received LMWH upfront but use UFH post thrombolysis due to reversibility if bleeding occurs


  • monitor aPTT every 2 hours beginning 2 hours post TNK bolus or post TPA infusion end


  • start UFH protocol once aPTT is 2X upper limit of normal


  • NO BOLUS

WHY YOU MIGHT CONSIDER THROMBOLYSIS FOR INTERMEDIATE HIGH-RISK PE

Why would you consider this?

  • Clot in transit (with or without PFO)


  • As alternative to CDT 


If decision for CDT has been made but:

  • patient deteriorates before CDT


  • patient deteriorates during CDT or Thrombectomy


  • CDT is not immediately available  (another patient is on the table)


  • Patient is in a peripheral hospital and is too high risk to transfer and too high risk not to intervene

Transitioning to LMWH from UFH

  • Use UFH for the first 12-24 hours post thrombolysis for its reversibility  in case major bleeding occurs


  • First dose of LMWH to be given at the same time the unfractionated heparin infusion is turned off


Hybrid Therapy (you can still use your clinical judgement)

  • It is important to remember that not all patients will fit nicely into these categories.  


  • There are no guidelines as to what to do for the patient who is getting worse or not improving while you are intervening


  • You are still allowed to be a clinician and adjust therapy as needed (Major benefit of having the team to consult with if you would like some advice/consensus)


  • You can bolus more or less TPA up front if need be 


  • You can bolus more TPA during an infusion if the patient is still deteriorating


  • You can bolus TPA through the PA catheters (or systemically)  if the patient is deteriorating while the infusions are running 


  • You can repeat the TPA infusions through the PA catheters if the patient has not improved (suggest re-imaging to make sure the catheters are still sitting in clot)


  • If you've chosen to give half-dosing (or less) and the patient has not improve you can give more


  • You can re-image if the patient hasn't improved to decide if further intervention is required (ie thrombectomy/CDT post systemic thrombolytics or vise versa)


  • Embolectomy can be combined with CDT


LMWH SHOULD BE GIVEN STAT ON SPECULATION PRIOR TO PERT CONSULT UNLESS CONTRAINDICATED

PERT Ottawa

Copyright © 2025 PERT Ottawa - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept