Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a test to evaluate your heart and coronary arteries. A thin flexible tube called a catheter is threaded through a blood vessel in your arm or groin and into your heart. Through the catheter, we can measure pressures, take blood samples, and inject contrast material into the coronary arteries or chambers of the heart. Doctor Davies watches the movement of the dye through your heart's chambers and blood vessels to see whether the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked by plaque builds up inside the lining of the vessels.

The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to determine whether you have disease in your coronary arteries, and if so, pinpoint the size and location of plaque that may have built up in your coronary arteries from atherosclerosis. This is generally done to determine whether you need bypass surgery or angioplasty.

If your coronary arteries are blocked, your doctor can use the catheter to open them and restore normal blood flow to your heart. This is called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The three common types of PCI are angioplasty, coronary stenting, and coronary atherectomy.

Angioplasty may be done by attaching a small balloon to the catheter. Once the catheter has been guided to the proper location in a coronary artery, the balloon is inflated. The pressure from the inflated balloon presses the plaque against the wall of the artery to improve blood flow.
Stenting usually is done along with angioplasty. Once the plaque is compressed using angioplasty, a small expandable wire tube called a stent is inserted into the artery to hold it open.
Atherectomy may be done during cardiac catheterization to open a partially blocked coronary artery. Once the catheter reaches the narrowed portion of the artery, a cutting device or a laser beam is used to remove the plaque.

Please notify our staff in advance if:

You are allergic to the iodine dye used in the contrast material or any other substance that contains iodine.
You have asthma or have ever had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) from any substance, such as the venom from a bee sting.
You are allergic to any medications and whether you are taking any medications, including sildenafil (Viagra). This test may require the use of nitrate medication, such as nitroglycerin, that can cause a serious reaction if you have taken sildenafil (Viagra) within the previous 48 hours.
You have any bleeding problems or take blood-thinning medication.
You are or might be pregnant.
You have kidney disease or diabetes, especially if you take metformin (Glucophage) to control your diabetes. The contrast material used during cardiac catheterization can cause kidney damage in people who have poor kidney function. If you have a history of kidney problems, blood tests (creatinine, blood urea nitrogen) may be necessary prior to the procedure to confirm that your kidneys are functioning properly.
Before the test, you’ll be given a brief explanation of the test and you’ll be asked to sign a consent form. Feel free to ask any questions about the procedure.

Preparing for the Test:

Do not eat or drink (except for a small amount of water) for 6 to 12 hours before the test. About an hour before the procedure, you may be given a sedative to help you relax. It will not put you to sleep, since it is important that you be awake to follow instructions during the test.
Be sure to empty your bladder completely just before the test.
Before the test, remove any necklaces, bracelets, rings, or other jewelry. You should also remove nail polish from your fingernails and toenails to permit observation of the blood circulation in your fingers and toes.
Areas on your arms or groin will be shaved to prepare these sites for possible insertion of the catheter.
Before the procedure starts, you may want to ask for cushions or pillows to keep you as comfortable as possible.
You will need someone to pick you up after your test because you will not be allowed to drive home yourself. Wear comfortable clothes and pack an overnight bag in case you need to be admitted to the hospital after the procedure.