Your interventional doctor should be using your radial artery to enter your body during a catheterization procedure! Especially when you are having a heart attack. A study presented at an international cardiology meeting today confirms that notion. The results showed a significant reduction in major bleeding events when compared to using the larger femoral artery. Take home message: “I think the evidence in favor of radial over the femoral approach is now very compelling, even in terms of hard clinical endpoints,” said Valgimigli (lead investigator of the trial).
Having a heart attack (artery closing) can increase your risk for “heart shock”. Heart shock is a result of the heart muscle failing. This is a life threatening situation. A study presented today clearly suggests that only the artery involved in that process should be treated. Treating unrelated issues can lead to greater complications. The interventional cardiologist treating a patient with cardiogenic shock after an acute myocardial infarction should do only the culprit lesion and later on do a staged revascularization,” Thiele said (lead trial investigator).