Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2025
Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Effect of randomized prophylactic nitroglycerin on radial artery spasm during transradial catheterization: An
Roberto L da Silva1,2,3, George D Dangas4, Pedro B de Andrade5
1Department of Interventional Cardiology, Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract:
One limitation to transradial access (TRA) is the occurrence of spasms (RAS), for which the use of prophylactic medications is recommended. Improvement in TRA material combined with the increase in operators' expertise, might mitigate this benefit. We assess the effect of preventive nitroglycerin on RAS during TRA, evaluating the role of the operator's experience. Patients received 500 μg nitroglycerin or placebo. The operator's expertise was classified as: inexperienced (I), intermediate (M), and experienced (E). 2040 patients were included. Prophylactic use of nitroglycerin did not reduce RAS (10.8% vs. 13.4% (placebo), p = 0.07). RAS incidence was 14.5% in I, 12.5% in M, and 9.7% in E (p = 0.01). In group I, nitroglycerin reduced RAS (17.4% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.04), which was not observed in other groups. Overall, nitroglycerin does not prevent RAS, which is more common among inexperienced operators. More experienced operators could abolish preventive nitroglycerin use.
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