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Key Points
- Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure
used to diagnose and treat certain heart conditions. A long, thin, flexible
tube called a catheter is put into a blood vessel in your arm, groin (upper
thigh), or neck and threaded to your heart to do tests or treatments on the
heart.
- Cardiac catheterization is most often used to
evaluate chest pain. It may also be done during a
heart
attack to identify narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. You also may need
this procedure if other tests suggest you have
coronary
artery disease.
- Before having cardiac catheterization, discuss
with your doctor how to prepare for the test and any special instructions you
need to follow.
- It may not be safe to drive right after the
procedure. If your doctor says you can go home the same day, you should arrange
for a ride home from the hospital.
- During cardiac catheterization, youre kept
on your back and awake. That way you can follow your doctors instructions
during the procedure. Youre given medicine to help you relax.
- After the procedure, you will be moved to a
special care area, where you will rest for several hours or overnight. During
this time, your movement will be limited to avoid bleeding from the site where
the catheter was inserted.
- A small bruise may develop at the site where the
catheter was inserted. That area may feel sore or tender for about a week. You
need to let your doctor know if you have a lot of bleeding from that area or
signs of infection. You may have to avoid doing certain activities, such as
heavy lifting, for a short time after the procedure.
- Cardiac catheterization is a common medical
procedure that rarely causes serious complications. The risk of complications
is higher in people with diabetes and kidney disease, and in older people and
women.
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What Are the Risks Links
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