Refining outcome prediction in intermediate‐risk pulmonary embolism: The added value of advanced echocardiographic right ventricular assessment

Patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE), or those with evidence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction by imaging or biomarker data without hypotension, represent a heterogenous group with respect to short-term clinical outcomes. Mortality ranges from approximately 2% to 17% with a 30-day complication rate approaching 42% in select individuals. 1–3 Clinical scoring algorithms often focus on demographics and co-morbid conditions, may not be PE-specific, and are limited in their power to identify those most likely to experience decompensation or death. 4 How best to establish which patients may suffer adverse clinical outcomes and select those who may bene-fitfromintensifiedmonitoringoradvancedtherapiesremainsacentral question.