Cardiac Catherization (Angioplasty)

A cardiac catherization involves inserting a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) through a tiny incision into an artery, typically in the upper thigh (but sometimes in the arm or neck), and guiding it through the bloodstream to the heart. Once inside the blood system, the catheter cannot be felt by the patient. Dye may be injected through an IV to visualize coronary arteries and look for blockages. Cardiac catherization is performed to gather information about the condition of the heart muscle and coronary arteries, the pumping ability of the heart, blood pressure within the heart and the sensitivity of the heart. In infants or children, catherization may be used to examine or treat congenital heart defects. In some patients, the catheter may have a tiny balloon at the tip, which is inflated to open blocked arteries. This is a form of angioplasty. 

Before cardiac catherization, female patients may be tested for pregnancy because the procedure is not recommended during pregnancy. No food or drink is permitted from the night before the catherization until after the procedure has been performed. Sometimes the patient will be on a special diet for a short time prior to the test. The area where the catheter is inserted is numbed with a local anesthetic prior to the procedure. The test lasts about 30 minutes, but the entire appointment may take several hours.