Pulmonary embolism is a common and potentially fatal disease, with a significant burden on health and survival. Right ventricular dysfunction and hemodynamic instability are considered two key determinants of mortality in pulmonary embolism, which can reach up to 65% in severe cases. Therefore, timely diagnosis and management are of paramount importance to ensure the best quality of care. However, hemodynamic and respiratory support, both major constituents of management in pulmonary embolism, associated with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest, have been given little attention in recent years, in favor of other novel advances such as systemic thrombolysis or direct oral anticoagulants. Moreover, it has been implied that current recommendations regarding this supportive care lack enough robustness, further complicating the problem. In this review, we critically discuss and summarize the current literature concerning the hemodynamic and respiratory support in pulmonary embolism, including fluid therapy, diuretics, pharmacological support with vasopressors, inotropes and vasodilators, oxygen therapy and ventilation, and mechanical circulatory support with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and right ventricular assist devices, while also providing some insights into contemporary research gaps.

We conducted a retrospective observational study in patients with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) who received medical care in 688 COVID-19 ambulatory units and hospitals in Mexico City between 24 February 2020 and 24 December 2020, to study if the elderly seek medical care later than younger patients and their severity of symptoms at initial medical evaluation. Patients were categorised into eight groups (<20, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79 and ≥80 years). Symptoms at initial evaluation were classified according to a previously validated classification into respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms. Comparisons between time from symptom onset to medical care for every age category were performed through variance analyses. Logistic regression models were applied to determine the risk of presenting symptoms of severity according to age, and mortality risk according to delays in medical care. In total, 286 020 patients were included (mean age: 42.8, s.d.: 16.8 years; 50.4% were women). Mean time from symptom onset to medical care was 4.04 (s.d.: 3.6) days and increased with older age categories (P < 0.0001). Mortality risk increased by 6.4% for each day of delay in medical care from symptom onset. The risk of presenting with the symptoms of severity was greater with increasing age categories. In conclusion, COVID-19 patients with increasing ages tend to seek medical care later, with higher rates of symptoms of severity at initial presentation in both ambulatory units and hospitals.