Risk of Stent Thrombosis and Major Bleeding with Bivalirudin Compared with Active Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials

BACKGROUND: Bivalirudin is commonly used for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but there have been recent concerns that it may be associated with an increased risk of stent thrombosis and provide no benefit regarding major bleeding compared with active control. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched PubMed, clinicaltrials.gov, and conference proceedings for randomized controlled trials of bivalirudin versus active control …