The Journal of invasive cardiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, or both, in preventing radial artery spasm during transradial artery catheterization.
Radial artery spasm remains a major complication of transradial coronary interventions. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three different intra-arterial vasodilating cocktails in reducing the incidence of radial artery spasm in patients undergoing transradial coronary angiography. The secondary goal was to assess the predictors of arterial spasm in this large group of patients. ⋯ In this prospective, randomized trial, the addition of a direct nitric oxide donor to nitroglycerin in an antispastic cocktail did not reduce the risk of spasm, and the use of nitroglycerin was found to be as effective as nitroprusside. Also, morphometric and mechanical factors play a significant role in predicting the occurrence of radial spasm. The sex of the patient, presence of diabetes, body surface area and smoking history appeared to play no role in predicting the occurrence of radial spasm.