title: A high blood pressure predicts bleeding complications and a longer hospital stay after elective coronary angiography using the femoral approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for bleeding complications after elective coronary angiography (CA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We consecutively included 1,000 patients scheduled for elective diagnostic CA using the femoral approach. A bleeding complication was defined as formation of a hematoma >/=5 cm, severely oozing or pulsating bleeding through the skin, development of a pseudoaneurysm, or a bleeding demanding blood transfusion. We found a bleeding complication in 88 patients. In the multivariate analysis, only female gender and systolic blood pressure were associated with a bleeding complication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that systolic blood pressure and female gender are independent predictors of bleeding complications and that a high systolic blood pressure should be reduced before elective CA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Region Hospital Herning, Herning, Denmark. ole_may@yahoo.dk
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Helle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skytte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors