What Are the Risks of Cardiac Catheterization?
Cardiac catheterization is a common medical
procedure that rarely causes serious problems. But complications can
include:
- Bleeding, infection, and pain where the catheter
was inserted.
- Damage to blood vessels. This is a very rare
complication caused by the catheter scraping or poking a hole in a blood vessel
as its threaded to the heart.
- An allergic reaction to the dye used.
Other less common complications of the procedure
include:
- An
arrhythmia
(irregular heartbeat), which often goes away on its own, but may need treatment
if it persists.
- Damage to the kidneys caused by the dye
used.
- Blood clots that can trigger strokes,
heart
attacks, or other serious problems.
- Low blood pressure.
- A buildup of blood or fluid in the sac that
surrounds the heart. This fluid can prevent the heart from beating
properly.
As with any procedure involving the heart,
complications can sometimes, although rarely, be fatal. The risk of
complications with cardiac catheterization is higher if you have diabetes or
kidney disease, or if youre 75 years old or older. The risk of
complications also is greater in women and people having cardiac
catheterization on an emergency basis. |