Cardiac Catheterization

What is a cardiac catheterization?

A cardiac catheterization is a procedure in which a small, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel. The catheter is usually put into a blood vessel in your groin (or sometimes in your arm). Your doctor gently “steers” the catheter toward your heart, or toward a blood vessel that might be blocked. A cardiac catheterization is the first step in a number of heart and blood vessel tests and procedures.

For instance, a cardiac catheterization is often the first step in an angiogram. In an angiogram, your doctor injects dye
through the catheter into your arteries to find any blockages. With a catheterization, your doctor can also:

• Measure blood pressure in your heart or lungs
• Take a tiny sample (a biopsy) of your heart muscle
• Determine how much oxygen is in your blood
• Measure the amount of blood flowing through your heart and blood vessels
• Do an electrophysiology (EP) study to check the electrical system in your heart

During a cardiac catheterization, your doctor may also treat any blocked blood vessels with one or more of these procedures to improve blood flow:

• An atherectomy-using a catheter with a cutting tool to clear plaque from an artery
• A balloon angioplasty-using a catheter with a balloon that expands and presses plaque against the side of an artery
• A stent implant-inserting a tiny mesh tube into an artery to help keep it open after plaque has been cleared

What can I except?

Your procedure will be performed in a “cath lab.” When you have  a cardiac catheterization you undress and put on a hospital gown or sheet. You lie on an exam table and an intravenous (IV) line is put into your arm. The IV delivers fluids and medications during the procedure. The medication makes you groggy, but not unconscious. Electrodes on your chest monitor your heart’s activity during the procedure. A blood pressure cuff on your arm also regularly takes your blood pressure. The doctor makes a small incision (usually in the groin) for the catheter. The area will be numbed so you shouldn’t feel pain, but you may feel some pressure as the catheter is inserted. You won’t be fully asleep, so during the test your doctor or nurse might ask you questions to make sure you are not feeling pain, for instance. Afterwards you might be in the hospital overnight. Most people have a fairly rapid recovery.