Women have almost twice the rate of bleeding following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) when compared to men, according to a study published on March 19 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. In addition, the use of bleeding avoidance strategies (BAS) was associated with a low risk of bleeding in both genders.

Additional Resources Full Study NCDR® CathPCI Registry® 2011 ACCF/AHA/SCAI Guideline for PCI

Using data from the NCDR^® CathPCI Registry^®, the study looked at 570,777 patients undergoing PCI at 1,230 sites, and found the mean estimated bleeding risk was significantly higher for women than men (8.0 percent, SD 7.1 vs. 4.0 percent, SD 3.9; p<0.01). Overall, the use of any BAS only differed slightly between women and men (75.4 percent vs. 75.7 percent, p=0.01), however, when BAS was not used, women had higher rates of bleeding (12.5 percent vs. 6.2 percent, p<0.01).

The authors add that "the use of BAS was associated with significantly lower bleeding risks for both genders; however, the absolute risk differences were higher in women. These data underscore the importance of applying effective strategies to limit post-PCI bleeding, especially in women," they conclude.

Keywords: Registries, Cardiology, Hemorrhage, United States, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

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