What is cardiac catheterization? Cardiac catheterization (cardiac cath or heart cath) is an invasive imaging procedure that allows your healthcare provider to evaluate your heart function. Your provider puts a catheter (tiny tube) into a blood vessel in your arm or groin. From there, the tube goes to your heart and can show your coronary arteries and/or pulmonary artery so your provider can look at structural issues. The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to find problems with how your heart is working and its blood flow. Sometimes, during a heart cath, a provider may use other procedures to fix issues. For example, they could fix a heart issue you were born with or replace your heart valve without doing open-heart surgery. Cardiac catheterization isn’t surgery. Providers don’t make a large cut (incision) for cardiac cath. Also, the recovery time is much shorter than for surgery. In some cases, your provider may recommend surgery afterward, depending on the results of your procedure. A specially trained cardiologist and a team of cardiology fellows, nurses and technicians will perform your cardiac catheterization. Types of cardiac catheterization The two types of cardiac catheterization are: Left heart catheterization. Working through an artery, this type looks at your coronary arteries and heart chambers and measures pressures on the left side of your heart. Right heart catheterization. Working through a vein, this type looks at your heart chambers and measures pressures on the right side of your heart. Why would a doctor recommend a heart catheterization procedure? Cardiac catheterization is used to: Find out why you’re having chest pain or an abnormal heart rhythm Take blood or a tiny bit of muscle from your heart to examine (biopsy) Confirm that you have issues in your coronary arteries or heart valves Evaluate heart muscle function and diagnose heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy) Check your pulmonary arteries for issues and diagnose high blood pressure in those arteries (pulmonary hypertension) Check on your blood flow, oxygen level and pressure in areas of your heart Get more information that other tests couldn’t provide Decide on further treatment, like clearing a blockage, placing a stent or bypassing a blockage with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) Help with planning a heart transplant
What is cardiac catheterization?
Cardiac catheterization (cardiac cath or heart cath) is an invasive imaging procedure that allows your healthcare provider to evaluate your heart function. Your provider puts a catheter (tiny tube) into a blood vessel in your arm or groin. From there, the tube goes to your heart and can show your coronary arteries and/or pulmonary artery so your provider can look at structural issues.
The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to find problems with how your heart is working and its blood flow. Sometimes, during a heart cath, a provider may use other procedures to fix issues. For example, they could fix a heart issue you were born with or replace your heart valve without doing open-heart surgery.
Cardiac catheterization isn’t surgery. Providers don’t make a large cut (incision) for cardiac cath. Also, the recovery time is much shorter than for surgery. In some cases, your provider may recommend surgery afterward, depending on the results of your procedure.
A specially trained cardiologist and a team of cardiology fellows, nurses and technicians will perform your cardiac catheterization.
Types of cardiac catheterization
The two types of cardiac catheterization are:
Left heart catheterization. Working through an artery, this type looks at your coronary arteries and heart chambers and measures pressures on the left side of your heart.
Right heart catheterization. Working through a vein, this type looks at your heart chambers and measures pressures on the right side of your heart.
Why would a doctor recommend a heart catheterization procedure?
Cardiac catheterization is used to:
Find out why you’re having chest pain or an abnormal heart rhythm
Take blood or a tiny bit of muscle from your heart to examine (biopsy)
Confirm that you have issues in your coronary arteries or heart valves
Evaluate heart muscle function and diagnose heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
Check your pulmonary arteries for issues and diagnose high blood pressure in those arteries (pulmonary hypertension)
Check on your blood flow, oxygen level and pressure in areas of your heart
Get more information that other tests couldn’t provide
Decide on further treatment, like clearing a blockage, placing a stent or bypassing a blockage with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
Help with planning a heart transplant
Created using ChatSlide
Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure that provides a direct view of the heart by inserting a catheter through a vessel. It uses contrast to highlight arteries and heart structures, allowing for the assessment of left and right heart pressures, chest pain, and valve conditions. Patients are guided by a specialized care team, typically accessing the heart via the arm or groin, ensuring a streamlined preparation and recovery process.