Blueprint for developing an effective pulmonary embolism response network.

INTRODUCTION:Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Portugal. It is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death after stroke and myocardial infarction. However, the management of acute PE remains poorly standardized, and there is a lack of access to mechanical reperfusion when indicated. METHODS AND RESULTS:This working group analyzed the current clinical guidelines for the use of percutaneous catheter-directed treatment in this setting and proposed a standardized approach for severe forms of acute PE. This document also proposes a methodology for the coordination of regional resources in order to create an effective PE response network, based on the hub-and-spoke organization design. CONCLUSION:This model can be applied at the regional level, but it is desirable to extend it to the national level.