Expert Insights On Cardiac Catheterization
If you’ve been told you need a cardiac catheterization, you may wonder why it’s needed and what it entails. It’s a low-risk procedure that provides important information to your doctor about what is going on in the arteries that lead to your heart. Perhaps you had an abnormal heart rhythm in a stress test. Or maybe you’ve had chest pain. Another issue that may call for cardio catheterization is to conduct tests to check for potential blockages in arteries around the heart. In any of these cases, the tests and X-rays this procedure can perform can help the doctor design treatment options.
In some cases, the doctor can open arteries with the catheter and use the catheter to keep blood flowing by placing a stent in a narrow artery area. If severe blockages are found, your doctor may recommend coronary bypass surgery.
Cardiac catheterization allows the doctor to view what is happening inside the heart and treat it right then or gather the necessary information for additional treatment later. You’ll receive conscious sedation and local anesthesia. The whole procedure, including preparation and recovery time, takes several hours, and you should fully recover within a week. Risks are low, but discuss them with your doctor. Cardiac catheterization for heart attack patients is another application of this procedure.
At CVG, we treat the whole person. We understand you want to quickly grasp this procedure and dive in for more details. We’re here to help answer your questions and help you get up to speed on the terminology, too, so you know what to expect.
With everything you have on your mind, it’s reassuring that CVG offers the insights you need to understand cardiac catheterization and how it can benefit you. Learn more in our blog post: “The Benefits of Cardiac Catheterization for Heart Attack Patients,” and discover how this minimally invasive procedure can improve heart attack patients’ outcomes.
Cardiac Catheterization: Procedure Details
During cardiac catheterization, a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) is inserted into a small incision and guided to your heart. Your doctor can use the catheter to take pictures and conduct tests inside the heart. Cardiac cath allows doctors to suggest treatment options for your heart problems based on the results of the photos or tests. Some procedures can even be done on the spot through cardiac cath.
What to Expect During Your Visit:
You may undergo an angiography, in which the catheter takes X-ray pictures of blood vessels.
The catheter may be used for angioplasty, a procedure in which the catheter moves a balloon into the artery, which then inflates to open the artery and compress the plaque.
The catheter may also be used for stenting, which involves the catheter placing a stent into the narrow part of the artery to open the path of blood flow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cardiac catheterization is used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions. A thin tube is inserted into an artery in the groin, neck, or arm and guided through the blood vessels to the heart. This procedure helps assess the health of the heart and blood vessels, diagnosing conditions such as chest pain, abnormal stress test results, heart valve disorders, high blood pressure, blood clots in the lungs, and an enlarged heart.
Your doctor may order a cardiac catheterization for several reasons:
- To determine whether there are blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the heart
- To measure the pressures in the heart and lungs
- To assess pressure differences across the heart valves
The procedure is performed in a hospital setting and typically takes about 30–60 minutes; however, preparation and recovery time can take several additional hours. In some cases, the patient may need to stay in the hospital overnight, either before or after the procedure. Following cardiac catheterization, the doctor will have a clearer understanding of the underlying problem and be able to determine the best treatment plan for the patient. Full recovery usually takes a week or less, depending on where the catheter was inserted. The patient must keep the insertion site clean during the recovery period.
The procedure is performed under conscious sedation, meaning you will receive medications to help you relax and manage pain. In addition, a local anesthetic will be administered to the access site, either the groin or the wrist. Due to the sedation, many people do not remember much of the procedure afterward.
The risk of complications for patients undergoing elective cardiac catheterization is low. The most common complications include bleeding or discomfort at the access site, either in the groin or the wrist. Rarely, these bleeding complications may require a blood transfusion or surgery to repair the artery. Less common but more serious complications, such as stroke, heart attack, or even death, can occur. It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor.
Most procedures are performed to determine whether there are significant blockages in the arteries that supply blood to your heart. If your doctor finds a severe blockage, they may open it using a balloon and insert a stent, a small metal tube designed to keep the artery open. If multiple severe blockages are found, your doctor may recommend coronary bypass surgery.
After a cardiac catheterization, most patients spend a few hours in the recovery unit. If the procedure involved the large artery in the groin, a device or stitch may have been used to seal the hole, requiring the patient to lie flat for a couple of hours. If a tube was removed from the groin, the patient may need to lie flat for around 4 hours post-procedure. Avoid driving or lifting heavy objects for a few days afterward.
For procedures performed via the small wrist artery, a band is used to apply pressure to the artery. Some discomfort at the access site and mild bruising may occur in the days following the procedure. Notify your doctor if a lump forms at the site or if there is significant bleeding, as immediate medical attention may be necessary.