A 68-year-old man collapses at home with sudden pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. A CT pulmonary angiogram confirms a large pulmonary embolism....

Question

A 68-year-old man collapses at home with sudden pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. A CT pulmonary angiogram confirms a large pulmonary embolism. He is haemodynamically stable. According to NICE guidance, what is the preferred initial long-term anticoagulant?

Accepted Answer

A direct-acting oral anticoagulant such as Apixaban

Answer

Aspirin 75 mg daily only

Answer

Long-term unfractionated heparin infusion

Answer

No anticoagulation is needed if he is now stable

Answer

Warfarin monotherapy without heparin overlap

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Pulmonary embolism – anticoagulation

A 68-year-old man collapses at home with sudden pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. A CT pulmonary angiogram confirms a large pulmonary embolism. He is haemodynamically stable. According to NICE guidance, what is the preferred initial long-term anticoagulant?