A High Blood Pressure Predicts Bleeding Complications and a Longer Hospital Stay after Elective Coronary Angiography Using the Femoral Approach

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for bleeding complications after elective coronary angiography (CA). Methods and results: We consecutively included 1,000 patients scheduled for elective diagnostic CA using the femoral approach. A bleeding complication was defined as formation of a hematoma >= 5 cm, severely oozing or pulsating bleeding through the skin, development of a pseudoaneurysm, or a bleeding demanding blood transfusion. We found a bleeding complication in 88 patients. In the multivariate analysis, only female gender and systolic blood pressure were associated with a bleeding complication. Conclusion: We conclude that systolic blood pressure and female gender are independent predictors of bleeding complications and that a high systolic blood pressure should be reduced before elective CA. (J Interven Cardiol 2009;22:175-178).