HeartWire (8/21, O’Riordan) reported that “using the radial artery for access to the heart during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is extremely rare in clinical practice, but despite its limited use, the approach is associated with equivalent procedural success to femoral access as well as lower rates of bleeding and vascular complications,” according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Investigators “identified 593, 094 patients who underwent PCI between January 2004 and March 2007.” Just “1.32 percent were treated using radial-artery access. Despite the limited use of radial PCI during the period, the approach was associated with a similar rate of success and a 58 percent lower risk of bleeding complications.” The researchers also found that “the reduction in bleeding was even more pronounced among women, the elderly, and patients undergoing PCI for acute coronary syndrome.”