Cardiac catheterization—a procedure used to evaluate coronary artery patency—requires anticoagulation treatment that increases the patient’s risk of postprocedural bleeding. Therefore, bed rest is required following a transfemoral catheterization. However, bed rest duration and patient positioning practices vary by facility. No study has shown that reduced bed rest (ie, ≤1 hour vs the usual 2-4 hours) following placement of a vascular closure device is associated with a significant increase in major groin complications (ie, pseudoaneurysm, hematoma, or bleeding); furthermore, compared with extended bed rest, early ambulation following transfemoral catheterization is associated with improved physiologic and psychological symptoms. However, clinicians report concerns about safely implementing reduced bed rest protocols. Therefore, the authors sought to evaluate the effects of an evidence-based practice change at their institution.

The practice change gave a select population of transfemoral catheterization patients the opportunity to remain on bed rest for only 1 hour with the head of the...

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