A 30-year-old primigravida, delivering by cesarean section, went into shock with cardiac arrest due to pulmonary thromboembolism. Thrombolytic therapy with recombinant-tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) induced a rapid improvement in both the hemodynamic and respiratory conditions. This case shows the marked efficacy of rt-PA in treating massive pulmonary thromboembolism. Close attention must be given to the patient in such a case, however, because the risk of hemorrhagic complication exists.
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