The Particulars: Studies exploring approaches to cardiac catheterization in women have yet to include a registry-based, randomized trial in the United States. Multicenter trial data comparing radial PCI with femoral PCI are also lacking.
Data Breakdown: In a trial, nearly 2,000 women underwent elective PCI, urgent PCI, or diagnostic catheterization with possible PCI. Participants received either radial or femoral PCI. Bleeding and complication rates among women were 1.2% for the radial approach and 2.9% for the femoral approach in the PCI group. However, overall procedural failure rates were 6.7% for the radial approach and 1.9% for the femoral approach.
Take Home Pearls: Use of radial access PCI or diagnostic catheterization in women appears to reduce bleeding and complications when compared with the femoral approach. However, the radial approach appears to have a higher procedural failure rate.
