Predicting acute adverse contrast mean reactions following cardiac catheterization: a complex undertaking

Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are potentially serious events which may occur after the administration of a drug. In particular, contrast-related ADR occasionally follow procedures requiring the administration of a radiocontrast mean (RCM), including non-invasive diagnostic examinations and cardiac catheterizations. While the incidence of ADR ranges between 3.8% and 12.7% for monomeric ionic RCM and 0.7% to 3% for non-ionic RCM, severe reactions are rare and are generally reported in less than 0.05% of cases (1,2).