title: Anticoagulation in transradial percutaneous coronary intervention.
abstract: Transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with significant reductions in access site complications and major bleeding as compared with the transfemoral approach. Bivalirudin is now the most commonly used anticoagulant for transradial PCI in the United States, while weight adjusted unfractionated heparin remains the most common choice outside the United States. A growing number of reports suggest that transradial intervention may offer improved outcomes across a variety of clinical situations, including those at the highest risk of bleeding complications, such as those with acute myocardial infarction. The following review provides an overview of the studies evaluating anticoagulation in transradial PCI and a rationale for the combination of the transradial approach to coronary interventions with an optimal anticoagulant strategy to reduce both access site and nonaccess site-related bleeding.
authors.affiliation: VCU Pauley Heart Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
authors.forename: Darryn L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Appleton
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: Sunil V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Ion S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Jovin
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011677:Punctures; D017534:Radial Artery; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: angioplasty; anticoagulants; hemorrhage; radial artery