BACKGROUND: Radial access is effective in reducing bleeding complications in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). In acute coronary syndromes (ACS), the crossover from low molecular weight to unfractioned heparin increases the risk of bleeding after transfemoral PCI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bleeding in patients with ACS undergoing PCI using the radial approach according to the occurrence or not of crossover of heparin therapy. METHODS: Observational study of patients with ACS undergoing PCI using the radial access, divided into groups: A (with crossover) and B (without crossover). Bleeding events were classified according to GUSTO criteria; EASY criteria were used for bleeding events in the radial access. RESULTS: We included 140 consecutive patients, 74 in group A and 66 in group B, with mean age of 59.7 ± 9.4 years, 72.8% were male, and 21.4% diabetic. There were six cases of bleeding complications (4.3%), and two (1.4%) were classified by GUSTO as moderate (one digestive bleeding and one femoral bleeding after intraaortic balloon pump), and four (2.9%) were classified as mild (hematomas with diameter < 5 cm). In the comparison between groups, moderate bleeding occurred in 1.3% in group A and 1.5% in group B (P = 0.49) and mild bleedings in 2.7% and 3.1% in groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.37). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of patients with ACS undergoing PCI using the radial access, a low incidence of bleeding events was observed, and most of these bleeding complications resulted from small hematomas of the access route. Crossover of heparin therapy did not increase the risk of bleeding after transradial PCI.
Angioplasty; Radial artery; Hemorrhage
