Thrombolysis restores perfusion in COVID-19 hypoxia.

Abstract

Thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is an established treatment strategy for patients with intermediate and high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) and signs of haemodynamic instability. The use of tPA in coronavirus disease -19 (COVID-19) patients with PE and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may be of benefit due to the unusually high incidence of pulmonary embolism and pulmonary thrombosis, particularly microvascular thrombosis which are thought to contribute significantly to hypoxemia(1).