Cardiologists are increasingly accessing coronary arteries by way of the wrist rather than the groin to insert life-saving stents into patients with blocked arteries, according to the first broad report of the American College of Cardiology's clinical data registries published online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology .
The report, "Cardiovascular Care Facts: A Report from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry - 2011," includes data about stents from the CathPCI Registry, the ACC's national database of hospital records on stenting and angioplasty, as well a wide range of data from the other four ACC National Cardiovascular Data Registries for which comprehensive data from 2011 are available.
The report showed stenting (percutaneous coronary intervention or PCI) performed at the radial access site (the wrist) increased from 2.9 percent of cases in 2009 to 10.9 percent of cases in 2011, while stenting performed at the femoral access site (the groin) decreased from 96.5 percent to 88.8 percent during the same time period. While this approach is new and still being studied, research has shown that radial access can reduce the risk of complications, discomfort and recovery times in some patients. The report suggests that clinicians who perform PCI are becoming more comfortable with this approach and it is becoming more commonly used.
"The data in this report demonstrate the value of national registries in providing an unprecedented and broad perspective on the care and outcomes of patients with cardiovascular disease," said Frederick Masoudi, MD, MSP, senior medical officer of the NCDR. "These registries are key tools in understanding and improving care for cardiovascular patients across the United States."
Other top findings from the report outline several successes in heart disease care as well as opportunities for further improving a patient's treatment and follow-up care experience.
For a copy of the full report, contact Nicole Napoli at nnapoli@acc.org .
The mission of the American College of Cardiology is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health. The College is a 43,000-member medical society comprised of physicians, surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers. The College is a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The ACC provides professional education, operates national registries to measure and improve quality of care, disseminates cardiovascular research, and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more information, visit cardiosource.org/ACC .
Journal of the American College of Cardiology