What is Cardiac Catheterization?
Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure done here at Cardiocare Hospital. In this procedure, a type of small and flexible tube (called a catheter) is guided through one of the blood vessels in your hand or leg to the heart to diagnose and treat certain heart conditions, such as clogged arteries or irregular heartbeats.
This procedures are done in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab (Cath Lab) and it gives your cardiologist clear insights and information about the state of your heart valves, blood vessels, and heart muscle.
During this catheterization procedure, doctors can conduct various range of tests, engage in treatment, and/or remove a piece of heart tissue for examination. Some heart disease treatments — such as coronary angioplasty and coronary stenting — are done using cardiac catheterization.
When is it Needed?
Cardiac catheterization is a common procedure done to diagnose or treat a variety of heart problems. For example, your doctor may recommend this procedure if you have irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), chest pain (angina) or heart valve problems, among other things.
Cardiac catheterization may be done during the diagnosis or treatment of:
- Coronary artery disease
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart failure
- Heart valve disease
- Microvascular heart disease
During a cardiac catheterization, a doctor can:
- Locate narrowing or blockages in the blood vessels that could cause chest pain (angiogram)
- Measure pressure and oxygen levels in different parts of the heart (hemodynamic assessment)
- See how well the heart pumps blood (right or left ventriculogram)
- Take a sample of tissue from your heart (biopsy)
- Diagnose heart problems present from birth (congenital heart defects)
- Diagnose heart valve disease
- Examine the blood vessels for blood clots
