Avoiding Bleeding During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Registry data suggest that preventive strategies based on preprocedural risk assessment can reduce bleeding complications.

Periprocedural bleeding increases mortality and costs associated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Taking measures to prevent bleeding complications is garnering interest as a surrogate indicator of quality. Using the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry, investigators assessed the effects of vascular closure devices, bivalirudin, or both in reducing bleeding during PCI in patients classified according to a risk model. The use of radial access to reduce bleeding was not evaluated in this study.

The researchers reviewed records of PCI in >1.5 million patients at almost 1000 centers from January 2004 through September 2008. Bleeding (defined as requiring a blood transfusion or prolonged hospital sta…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI