The authors report the clinical history of a 47-year-old patient hospitalised as an emergency with acute respiratory distress complicated by cardiocirculatory arrest. The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was rapidly suspected and confirmed by emergency pulmonary angiography. A definite diagnosis enabled the early prescription of fibrinolytic treatment in situ. The interest of this case lies essentially in demonstration of the efficacy of fibrinolytic treatment which enabled the rapid restoration of a stable hemodynamic status and normalisation of angiographic appearances within a few days.