Simple clinical risk stratification and the safety of ambulation two hours after 6 French diagnostic heart catheterization.

Heart catheterization is frequently applied in patients with coronary artery disease for diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Using the femoral approach, post-procedure bed rest of 4 to 6 hours is recommended to prevent groin complications. This extended strict bed rest is associated with patient discomfort and increased medical costs, and interferes with more efficient catheterization laboratory management of referred outpatients. Accordingly, we tested a simple clinical approach to identify low-risk patients who may benefit from ambulation within two hours after sheath removal. Ninety-eight outpatients were stratified to early (time=1.5 to 2.0 hours; n=74) or conventional ambulation (time=4 to 5 hours; n=24) based on difficulties in obtaining arterial access, presence of oozing or hematoma after completing manual compression. Ecchymosis was the most frequent complication, noted in one early ambulated and three conventionally ambulated patients at hospital discharge and in eleven early ambulated and six conventionally ambulated patients at one-week follow-up. No large hematomas, retroperitoneal bleeding or need for blood transfusion occurred in any patients. Using simple clinical parameters, most outpatients who undergo elective diagnostic catheterization may benefit from safe early ambulation.