This procedure has been very useful to the cardiologist because it can be done during the diagnosis portion until treatment of a heart disease. It involves insertion of a catheter (reaches the heart) to the arm, groin and neck. The heart disease that is directly related to this procedure is coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease. This artery can be possibly blocked or narrowed by plaque (made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in blood) which will limit blood flow to the heart. It causes symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath since this artery is responsible of supplying blood to the heart.
Cardiac catherization diagnoses coronary artery disease because a dye can be run through the long, thin, and flexible catheter which extends from the bloodstream unto the heart, then through x-ray procedures, this dye will show the blockage in the artery. This test is referred as coronary angiography. Plaques can also been detected through ultrasound which is done along with cardiac catherization.
In some cases, it is not enough to view the blockage. Doctors may need a blood or heart muscle sample and they do it through catherization. Slight heart surgeries are also possible during cardiac catherization.
This procedure is considered very safe and effective. It is also painless; in fact, patients are not given any anaesthesia and are not put to sleep. Slight pain might be felt in the area where the catheter was inserted but no other severe complications were reported related to this procedure. You can trust us on this service and you can assure our expertise on this service. Contact us now!