Radial Versus Femoral Access for Coronary Angiography/Intervention in Women With Acute Coronary Syndromes

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of radial versus femoral access in women undergoing coronary angiography/intervention. Background The risk of bleeding and vascular access site complications are higher in women than in men. Methods In a pre-specified RIVAL (RadIal Vs femorAL access for coronary intervention) subgroup analysis, we compared outcomes in women (n = 1,861) and men (n = 5,160) randomized to radial versus femoral access. Results Overall, women were at higher risk of major vascular complications compared with men (4.7% vs. 1.7%; p Conclusions Women undergoing coronary angiography and PCI have a higher risk of vascular access site complications compared with men, and radial access is an effective method to reduce these complications.