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Cardiac Catheterization: What to Expect

Cardiac Catheterization: What to Expect
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In the U.S., more than a million cardiac catheterization procedures are performed every year. Cardiac catheterization provides heart and vascular physicians with crucial information about the heart muscle, vessels, valves and chambers to help diagnose and treat heart conditions. The procedure plays a significant role in managing coronary artery disease, heart defects and the risk of a heart attack.

Cardiac catheterization allows your healthcare team to learn more about your coronary arteries and blood flow to your heart muscle. It helps your physician determine the presence and severity of heart chamber issues, blockages in your coronary arteries and locate heart defects.

How Cardiac Catheterization Works

You’ll most likely receive an IV line before the procedure, then you’ll lie flat for the remainder of the process. Next, a tube called a catheter is introduced into your blood vessel, often at the groin or arm, and threaded through the vascular system to your heart. Patients typically feel pressure as the catheter is inserted, but the area will be anesthetized beforehand so you shouldn’t feel more than a numbing or tingling sensation.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiac catheterization can also be used in treatments such as:

  • Angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention, where a balloon is used to open a narrowed or blocked artery
  • Stenting, where a wire mesh is placed to keep an artery open
  • Valvuloplasty, during which the catheter is used to open a heart valve opening that’s too narrow

How Long Cardiac Catheterization Will Take

The duration of a cardiac catheterization procedure can vary. The process itself usually lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, but you can expect to spend several hours at the hospital, including preparation and recovery time.

After the procedure, your healthcare team will closely monitor you and remove the catheters, and your insertion site will be closed up. Your physician will give you specific post-procedure instructions to ensure proper healing once you’re released. Follow all post-care directions and contact your physician immediately if you have any concerns, questions or symptoms.

Risks and Benefits of Cardiac Catheterization

The cardiac catheterization procedure is only recommended when necessary, such as if you’ve had a stress test that suggests significant cardiovascular risks or experienced persistent chest pain that could indicate a blockage. When these risks are identified, the procedure can visualize blockages, assess heart muscle functionality and guide interventions that improve blood flow and reduce symptoms.

While cardiac catheterization is considered a minimally invasive procedure, it has risks. Talk with your doctor about potential risks and complications of the procedure.

The benefits, however, most often outweigh the risks, especially when it comes to managing coronary artery disease, identifying heart defects, and making decisions about surgery or other more invasive interventions.

Learn more about our cardiac catheterization lab, or call 812.238.7000 to schedule an appointment with a Union Health physician.



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