May 20, 2003Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions
Trained and supervised physician assistants can safely perform diagnostic cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography
Key result
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised physician assistants had a similar incidence of major complications within 24 hours compared to cardiology fellows (0.54% vs 0.58%).
Why the study?
Does diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised physician assistants result in similar complication rates compared to supervised cardiology fellows in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization?
Population
Patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography
Comparison
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by… vs Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by…
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
24 hours
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
Supports similar safety of supervised PAs for diagnostic catheterization; leaves open need for randomized confirmation before broader adoption.
Study Design
Type
Cohort
Structured PICO
Does diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised physician assistants result in similar complication rates compared to supervised cardiology fellows in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization?
P
Population
Patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.
E
Exposure
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised physician assistants (PAs)
C
Comparator
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised cardiology fellows-in-training
O
Outcome
Major complications within 24 hr of the procedure (including myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmia requiring defibrillation or pacemaker placement, pulmonary edema requiring intubation, and vascular complications)safety
Main Result
Absolute Event Rate: 0.54% vs 0.58%
Trained and supervised physician assistants can perform diagnostic cardiac catheterization with similar safety and efficiency to cardiology fellows-in-training.
Cite This Study
Krasuski et al. (2003) conducted a cohort in Patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised physician assistants vs. Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised cardiology fellows-in-training was evaluated on Major complications within 24 hr of the procedure. Diagnostic cardiac catheterization performed by supervised physician assistants had a similar incidence of major complications within 24 hours compared to cardiology fellows (0.54% vs 0.58%).