Suspected acute pulmonary embolism: a practical approach. British Thoracic Society, Standards of Care Committee

Abstract

In 1995 the Standards of Care Committee of that could be used by junior medical staff the British Thoracic Society set up a subwith simplicity, practicality, and flexibility-in committee to draw up a practical management particular, in a user friendly format that could strategy for suspected acute pulmonary embe adapted for junior doctors' handbooks. This bolism. Representation was sought from the is summarised in the Appendix on pp S16-S21. Royal Colleges of Radiologists and of Path-However, since much of the material in this ology, and from the British Cardiac Society. document represents new approaches based on In addition, two of the foremost international recent published research, little of which has researchers in this field were approached. All filtered through to current clinical practice, it agreed to contribute. None of the group had was recognised that a detailed review of the any financial or other interests of possible conliterature with graded recommendations and flict. As far as possible all relevant literature levels of evidence should be included. Because was sought and evaluated, up until early 1997. of the rapid developments taking place in dia-The principal aim of the group was to regnosis and treatment, it is likely that the advice commend a diagnostic and management strategy for suspected acute pulmonary embolism will require updating within 2-3 years.