Terumo Medical Corporation (TMC) applauds the publication of updated guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA) and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) that give radial access a Class 1 (Level of Evidence A) indication for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for both acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD).*

With the updated guidelines, it is expected that more physicians will expand their use of radial access. A radial approach to coronary care procedures produces demonstrably better outcomes for patients and hospitals, including these well-established and recognized benefits:

• Reduction in access-site bleeding and other vascular complications;
• Early post-procedure ambulation;
• Increased patient comfort and satisfaction;
• Potential improved financial and operational outcomes through facilitation of same-day discharge.

Celebrating 30 years of engineering and manufacturing state-of-the-art radial access products, as well as training and educating thousands of healthcare providers on the procedure, Terumo is a pioneer in radial access.

"As the first company to design and manufacture products specifically for radial access, Terumo has been a leader in supporting the important shift to the 'radial first' approach to interventional cardiology," said Dr. Michael Martinelli, TMC's Chief Medical Officer. "Our strategy, our product portfolio, our support for clinical trials, and especially our educational outreach to healthcare providers have provided an essential platform for the growth and success of radial access for coronary intervention and as such contributed significantly to improved outcomes for millions of patients worldwide."

"The decision of the ACC, AHA and SCAI to recognize radial access with this level of clinical evidence will lead to improved patient outcomes, which is our primary goal as a company and an industry," added Chris Pearson, Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations, Terumo Interventional Systems – North America. "We at Terumo are proud to have played a significant role in bringing radial access to the forefront of clinical practice."

*2021 ACC/AHA/SCAI Guideline for Coronary Artery Revascularization: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines; J Am Coll Cardiol. Dec 09, 2021. E-published DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.09.005