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Fasting may not be necessary before PCI
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Technically successful PCI occurred in 95% of patients who were not required to fast before the procedure, according to a study published in Heart.
The investigators suggested that there is a lack of evidence and clear guidance supporting the benefits of nil-per-os/nil-by-mouth before invasive cardiac procedures. They conducted a retrospective data registry analysis of 1,916 consecutive PCI procedures for ACS and stable angina to demonstrate that percutaneous cardiac catheterization does not require fasting.
The procedures were performed at two district general hospitals in the United Kingdom during a 3-year period. No patients were kept nil-per-os/nil-by-mouth.
Patients in the cohort were aged 67 ± 16 years. Seventy-percent were men; 38.5% had chronic stable angina and the remainder had ACS. The rate of diabetes was 21%, and 53% of patients were hypertensive.
Technically successful PCI was reported in 95% of the cohort. The transradial approach was used in 88.5% of patients. Discharge within 6 hours of the procedure occurred in 77% of patients who underwent elective PCI.
Endotracheal intubation was not required in any of the patients. The researchers reported no intraprocedural or postprocedural aspiration pneumonia.
“Our observational study demonstrates that patients undergoing PCI do not need to be fasted prior to their procedures,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant conflicts of interest.
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