What is cardiac catheterization?
Cardiac catheterization is a test to check your heart and coronary arteries. The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to find out if you have disease in your coronary arteries. The test checks blood flow in the coronary arteries, blood flow and pressure in the chambers of the heart, heart valves, and defects in the way the wall of the heart moves.
When do people need a cardiac catheterization?
If basic cardiac tests do not give your doctor the information needed, cardiac catheterization may be recommended. Cardiac catheterization is done to:
- Evaluate or confirm coronary heart disease
- Determine treatment options, such as bypass surgery or angioplasty
- See how well blood flows through the arteries
- Evaluate how severely the arteries are narrowed or blocked after a heart attack
- Evaluate the cause of heart failure and the severity of heart disease and congenital heart defects
How is cardiac catheterization performed?
During cardiac catheterization, doctors insert a long, fine, flexible tube, called a catheter, into your body. The catheter is inserted into a blood vessel and is guided toward the heart. This procedure helps us diagnose your problem accurately and determine the best coarse of treatment.
Is cardiac catheterization painful?
Cardiac catheterization is generally not painful, although you may feel some pressure as the catheters are inserted. You will be given medication to help you relax and make you drowsy. You will not feel the catheters as they move through the blood vessels and into your heart. A complete procedure usually lasts from one to two hours.
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