What is cardiac catheterization?
cardiac catheterization is a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube is inserted into the heart. Cardiac catheterization is used diagnostically to obtain important information about the heart and its arteries. It is often used to ensure information on blood pressure and flow in the heart and to collect blood samples. The procedure is not only useful for viewing heart valves at work, but also for finding defects in the movement of the heart wall.
usually cardiac catheterization is performed by a cardiologist. However, radiologists, technicians and nurses often play a key role in cardiac catheterization procedures. The procedure is usually performed in a hospital. In some cases, admission to the hospital night before the need to proceed, while in others the patients are accepted on the day of the progress on the inpatient or outpatient basis.
The patient waiting for cardiac catheterization is usually given a slight sedative. The purpose of the sedative is to help the patient remain relaxed during the procedure. For this procedure is intravenous (iv) line inserted into the blood vessel in the arm, neck nebo weaknesses. The chosen area is carefully cleaned before IV insertion and a local anesthetic is injected into the skin to reduce the discomfort in place.
As soon as IV is in place, the thin tube called the catheter is inserted via IV and into the patient's blood vessel. The catheter is using maximum care and under the guidance of a special X -ray machine. A special dye is injected into the catheter to provide contrast during the procedure and take pictures or movies in real time. Doctors and other medical staff present at the time of the procedure are able to display heart images, its chambers and blood vessels.
cardiac catheterization can withstand one to several hours. Some people feel discomfort in place IV. However, the use of local anesthetic often reduces the feeling of pressure at the insertion point. Patients with IV located in the area of the weakness are usually obliged to lie on their backs after a test. This is necessary pRO control of bleeding.
cardiac catheterization is a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool, but carries some risks. Some individuals experience bleeding at the site of injections, pain or infection. Although serious complications are rare, they may include arrhythmias, heart tamponade, low blood pressure, bleeding, stroke and heart attack. There may also be damage to the blood vessels and there is a low risk of kidney damage from the contrast dye. In most cases, the benefits of cardiac catheterization predominate over the risks associated with the submission of the procedure.