When Prevention is Truly Better than Cure: Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a fairly frequent complication of cardiovascular angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The risk is significantly higher in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Prevention is the only option for avoiding the significant morbidity and mortality associated with CA-AKI. This review provides a concise and clinically directed appraisal of the latest pre-procedural and peri-procedural strategies to minimize the risk of CA-AKI in all patients undergoing PCI. By broadly implementing these evidence-based care bundles, we can dramatically improve outcomes in this vulnerable patient population.