The 2026 multisociety clinical practice guideline provides comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for the evaluation, management, and follow-up of adult patients with acute pulmonary embolism.
This de novo guideline provides comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for the evaluation and management of acute pulmonary embolism in adults, introducing new clinical categories for severity classification.
The “2026 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ACEP/CHEST/SCAI/SHM/SIR/SVM/SVN Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Adults” is a de novo guideline that provides comprehensive recommendations for the evaluation, management, and follow-up of adult patients (≥18 years of age) with acute pulmonary embolism (acute PE). A key feature of this guideline is the introduction of the AHA/ACC Acute Pulmonary Embolism Clinical Categories, which enhance the precision of severity classification, prognosis assessment, and evidence-based therapeutic decision-making. A comprehensive literature search was conducted from February 2024 to October 2024 to identify clinical studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Select key studies published until April 2025 were added by the guideline writing committee as appropriate. The focus of this clinical practice guideline is an evidence-based and patient-centered approach for acute PE evaluation and management of the adult patient. This guideline encompasses the period from the onset of symptoms through clinical follow-up, focusing on risk outcomes assessment, clinical diagnosis of acute PE, appropriate use of adjunctive cardiovascular testing, and management in both the acute and early post-acute phases of PE. It addresses evidence-based diagnostic and management strategies (including pharmacological therapies, advanced interventional therapies, and in-hospital support) for acute PE and associated outcomes.
“This guideline introduces AHA/ACC Acute Pulmonary Embolism Clinical Categories to improve severity classification and evidence-based management.”
New guideline released with widespread uptake, multiple 'top 10 things to know' summaries, high policy and clinical amplification in recent weeks.
Creager et al. (2026) conducted a review in Acute pulmonary embolism. Clinical practice guideline was evaluated. The 2026 multisociety clinical practice guideline provides comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for the evaluation, management, and follow-up of adult patients with acute pulmonary embolism.