Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is an interventional procedure that is used to obtain images of your blood vessels and heart. It can also lead to angioplasty and other interventional treatments in the same setting. Cardiac catheterization can be done to see if a patient has:

A problem with the valves inside the heart.
A problem within the chambers of the heart or the main blood vessels (how they are formed or how they are working).
An abnormal opening between chambers of the heart.
Coronary artery disease (the most common reason for the test). This is the build-up of fatty material (plaque) inside the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. As the plaque becomes larger; it can block the flow of blood to the heart muscle.

Right Heart Catheterization

Your doctor may recommend an interventional procedure called right heart catheterization. It may be done to see if you have:

A problem with the valves inside the heart.
An abnormal opening between chambers in the heart.
Increased pressures in the arteries between the right side of your heart and your lungs (pulmonary hypertension).

It can also be used to obtain samples of your heart muscle (myocardial biopsy) to aid in diagnosing problems which affect the heart's ability to pump blood.

During the Procedure:
You will be taken on your bed to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab). There you will be assisted onto a padded x-ray table and positioned for the procedure. The area where the catheters will be placed will be shaved and scrubbed with a special soap, and draped with a sterile cover. EKG patches will be put on your chest so that your heartbeat can be monitored, and a clip will be placed on your finger to measure your oxygen level.

A long, thin tube called a catheter is put into one of the large veins in your body and threaded into the right side of the heart. The doctor can measure pressures in the right atrium (upper chamber), right ventricle (lower chamber), and pulmonary artery (the blood vessel leading to the lungs). Blood samples may be taken through the catheter for testing. Your doctor may also give you intravenous medication or ask you to perform simple exercises using light weights as part of the test. Although highly specialized, this test is performed routinely and is not painful.

Your blood pressure will also be taken frequently by the nurse.

During the test:

The area where the catheters will be placed will be numbed by the doctor with a local anesthetic. You will feel a sting as the anesthetic goes in, and pressure at the site as the doctor inserts the sheath. You should tell your doctor or nurse if you feel pain after the numbing medicine is in. This will help your doctor find the right amount of numbing medicine for you.
Using x-ray as a guide, the doctor will position the catheter in the right side of your heart. Pressures in the heart will be recorded, and blood samples may be obtained through the catheter for testing.
While the catheter is being inserted into the heart you may feel palpitations or "skipping" of your heart. The palpitations are caused by the tip of the catheter "tickling" the inside of the heart, and are very common during this procedure.
When pressures are being measured the doctor may ask you to hold your breath for a moment to obtain a better recording of the pressures.
Medications may be given through your

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