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| Cardiac Catheterization
Lab Cardiac catheterization involves passing a thin flexible tube called a catheter through an artery or vein, to the heart, and into a coronary artery. This procedure produces angiograms (X-ray images) of the coronary arteries and the left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber. Catheterization can also be used to measure pressures in the pulmonary artery and to monitor heart function in critically ill patients (this is called right heart catheterization). In most cases, cardiac catheterization is recommended when a partial or complete blockage is suspected in an artery. It is used to evaluate how well the heart is functioning and to obtain information about blockages. Cardiac catheterization is performed in our cardiac cath lab. Usually, the procedure takes two to three hours to perform. Patients must remain immobile for four to six hours following the procedure. Your physician may request cardiac catheterization for the following conditions: • Angina (chest pain) that is not easily controlled with medication, that disrupts your daily routine, occurs at rest, or recurs after heart attack • Heart failure with suspected coronary artery disease • Heart valve disease with symptoms such as shortness of breath • Markedly abnormal stress test results • Recurring chest pain with no identified cause Not everyone with angina needs cardiac catheterization. People who have very rare or easily controlled episodes of angina probably do not need to undergo the procedure. Many people who have suffered a heart attack can initially undergo a stress test rather than cardiac catheterization. |