Cardiac catheterization

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Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat certain cardiovascular conditions. During this procedure, a long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery or vein in your groin, neck, or arm and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart.

Indications

Cardiac catheterization is used to investigate and treat a variety of heart conditions, including:

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart valve disease
• Congenital heart defects
• Heart failure

Procedure

The procedure is typically performed in a catheterization laboratory (cath lab) by a cardiologist and a specialized team of nurses and technicians. The patient is usually awake but sedated, and local anesthesia is applied to the insertion site.

Steps

1. **Preparation**: The patient is prepared and the insertion site is cleaned and numbed. 2. **Insertion**: A sheath is inserted into the blood vessel. 3. **Catheterization**: The catheter is guided through the blood vessels to the heart using fluoroscopy. 4. **Diagnosis and Treatment**: Various tests and treatments can be performed, such as angiography, angioplasty, or stent placement. 5. **Completion**: The catheter and sheath are removed, and pressure is applied to the insertion site to prevent bleeding.

Risks

While cardiac catheterization is generally safe, it does carry some risks, including:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Arrhythmia

Recovery

After the procedure, patients are monitored for several hours. They may need to lie flat for a few hours to prevent bleeding from the insertion site. Most patients can return to normal activities within a few days.

See also

• Echocardiography
• Electrocardiogram
• Coronary angiography

External links

• American Heart Association: Cardiac Catheterization