Examining access routes and bleeding risk in women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Bleeding has become increasingly recognized as a complication of percutaneous coronary intervention with the introduction of potent antithrombotic therapies, which aim to reduce recurrent ischemia and stent thrombosis. Female sex has been shown to be associated with higher periprocedural bleeding, which leads to increased morbidity and mortality. In order to minimize this occurrence, the bleeding risk of each individual needs to be assessed and therapy should be tailored accordingly. This can include the use of newer antithrombotic agents with accurate dosing as well as consideration of the radial access route. In this article, we aim to discuss the issues surrounding bleeding in the female sex undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and suggest methods by which this can be reduced in clinical practice.