Table 2.

Drugs and devices for pharmacologic and interventional reperfusion treatment of VTE

Systemic thrombolysis for acute PE (approved regimens)
Dose regimenPractical issues or device used for reperfusion
Thrombolytic agent   
 Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator 100 mg over 2 hours or 0.6 mg/kg over 15 minutes (maximum dose, 50 mg) Absolute contraindications: History of hemorrhagic stroke, stroke at ≤6 months, central nervous system tumor, major trauma, surgery, or head injury at ≤3 weeks, bleeding diathesis, active bleeding 
 Streptokinase 250 000 IU loading dose over 30 minutes, followed by 100 000 IU/h over 12 to 24 hours; accelerated regimen: 1.5 million IU over 2 hours Relative contraindications: Transient ischemic attack at ≤6 months, oral anticoagulation, pregnancy or first postpartum week, non-compressible puncture sites, traumatic resuscitation, refractory hypertension (systolic blood pressure >180 mmHg), advanced liver disease, infective endocarditis, active peptic ulcer 
 Urokinase 4400 IU/kg loading dose over 10 minutes followed by 4400 IU/kg per hour over 12 to 24 hours; accelerated regimen: 3 million IU over 2 hours  
Catheter interventions   
  With thrombolysis for acute PE   
  Catheter-directed thrombolysis Alteplase 25 mg UniFuse, Cragg-McNamara 
  Ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis Alteplase 24 mg (1 mg/h for 24 hours if unilateral; 1 mg/h via catheter for 12 hours if bilateral) EkoSonic 5.2F 12-cm treatment zone device 
  Rheolytic thrombectomy plus catheter-directed thrombolysis 4 to 12 mg alteplase per lung and infusion duration from 2 to 6 hours AngioJet thrombectomy with Power Pulse thrombolysis 
  Combined techniques Urokinase 250 000 to 500 000 U or alteplase 25 mg Pigtail fragmentation plus AngioJet thrombectomy 
 Without thrombolysis for acute PE   
  Aspiration thrombectomy (suction pump or manual) Start UFH bolus and delay continuous infusion until the completion of the procedure (additional unfractionated heparin boluses to be given during the procedure at the physician’s discretion) Angiovac suction cannula: Indigo Mechanical Sheath with detachable hemostatic valve, multipurpose guide catheter, aspiration syringe.  
  Mechanical thrombectomy  Flowtriever, AngioJet catheter, Pigtail catheter 
  Rheolytic thrombectomy   
  Thrombus fragmentation combined techniques   
 With thrombolysis for acute DVT   
  Catheter-directed thrombolysis Alteplase 0.5-1.0 mg/h or 0.01 mg/kg per hour AngioJet device 
  Ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis Concomitant intravenous infusion of unfractionated heparin at subtherapeutic levels EkoSonic treatment zone device 
  Isolated thrombolysis power pulse technique Need for vena cava filter insertion debated Trellis Peripheral Infusion System, Angiojet Rheolytic Thrombectomy Catheter 
Systemic thrombolysis for acute PE (approved regimens)
Dose regimenPractical issues or device used for reperfusion
Thrombolytic agent   
 Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator 100 mg over 2 hours or 0.6 mg/kg over 15 minutes (maximum dose, 50 mg) Absolute contraindications: History of hemorrhagic stroke, stroke at ≤6 months, central nervous system tumor, major trauma, surgery, or head injury at ≤3 weeks, bleeding diathesis, active bleeding 
 Streptokinase 250 000 IU loading dose over 30 minutes, followed by 100 000 IU/h over 12 to 24 hours; accelerated regimen: 1.5 million IU over 2 hours Relative contraindications: Transient ischemic attack at ≤6 months, oral anticoagulation, pregnancy or first postpartum week, non-compressible puncture sites, traumatic resuscitation, refractory hypertension (systolic blood pressure >180 mmHg), advanced liver disease, infective endocarditis, active peptic ulcer 
 Urokinase 4400 IU/kg loading dose over 10 minutes followed by 4400 IU/kg per hour over 12 to 24 hours; accelerated regimen: 3 million IU over 2 hours  
Catheter interventions   
  With thrombolysis for acute PE   
  Catheter-directed thrombolysis Alteplase 25 mg UniFuse, Cragg-McNamara 
  Ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis Alteplase 24 mg (1 mg/h for 24 hours if unilateral; 1 mg/h via catheter for 12 hours if bilateral) EkoSonic 5.2F 12-cm treatment zone device 
  Rheolytic thrombectomy plus catheter-directed thrombolysis 4 to 12 mg alteplase per lung and infusion duration from 2 to 6 hours AngioJet thrombectomy with Power Pulse thrombolysis 
  Combined techniques Urokinase 250 000 to 500 000 U or alteplase 25 mg Pigtail fragmentation plus AngioJet thrombectomy 
 Without thrombolysis for acute PE   
  Aspiration thrombectomy (suction pump or manual) Start UFH bolus and delay continuous infusion until the completion of the procedure (additional unfractionated heparin boluses to be given during the procedure at the physician’s discretion) Angiovac suction cannula: Indigo Mechanical Sheath with detachable hemostatic valve, multipurpose guide catheter, aspiration syringe.  
  Mechanical thrombectomy  Flowtriever, AngioJet catheter, Pigtail catheter 
  Rheolytic thrombectomy   
  Thrombus fragmentation combined techniques   
 With thrombolysis for acute DVT   
  Catheter-directed thrombolysis Alteplase 0.5-1.0 mg/h or 0.01 mg/kg per hour AngioJet device 
  Ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis Concomitant intravenous infusion of unfractionated heparin at subtherapeutic levels EkoSonic treatment zone device 
  Isolated thrombolysis power pulse technique Need for vena cava filter insertion debated Trellis Peripheral Infusion System, Angiojet Rheolytic Thrombectomy Catheter 
Close Modal

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal