ABSTRACT
To check the safety of same day discharge radial PCI in patients under or over 75 years of age. A total of 943 patients who had same day discharge radial PCI between April 1998 and March 2001 were contacted. Patient health status, entry site complications, and repeat interventions during the first month after the procedure were compared in patients under 75 years of age (< 75) with those 75 or over (> or = 75). Responses were received from 811 patients (694 aged < 75 and 117 aged > or = 75 years). Two hundred and thirty-eight patients (34.3%) aged < 75 years and 36 patients (30.7%) aged > or = 75years reported one or more access site complications during the first 24 hours postdischarge, and 105 (15.1%) and 12 patients (10.3%), respectively, during the first month, (P > 0.05). However, all complications in both groups were minor and none of the patients required admission to the hospital. During the first 24 hours postdischarge only one patient (0.1%) aged < 75 years had a repeat angiogram showing a normal patent vessel, while during the first month 4 patients (0.6%) aged < 75 years and none aged > or = 75 years had target vessel closure. Out of the 132 patients who did not respond to our questionnaire, 1 patient aged < 75 and 1 patient aged > or = 75 years had subacute stent thrombosis within a month and died. There were no major entry site complications, and target vessel closure (0.6% versus 0.7%) was similar in patients aged < 75 and > or = 75 years. Thus, same day discharge radial PCI is safe in patients 75 years old or over.
