“How serious is a heart catheterization?”
I am a 42 year old female. I want to know how serious is a heart catheterization?
2 Answers
A cardiac catheterization is an invasive procedure but the risk of complications is fairly low and a great deal of information regarding the heart can be gained from it.
Hi,
A catheterization is only a procedure. It is a way to assess the arteries that supply the heart. In experienced hands, it is very routine. It is INVASIVE, it requires going into an artery, usually in your right wrist. It is done with local anesthetic so it is not painful. During the procedure, a small tube “catheter” is advanced with assistance of X-ray camera, all the way to the arteries that are connected to your heart. There is no pain involved. There can be a very rare complication of Dissection, which is a small tear in the wall of an artery. This is very rare and uncommon. Some bleeding and bruising can occur at the site of entry in your wrist which can cause some mild discomfort for a day or two. You may have a dye reaction if you are allergic to IODINE, but this is usually mild, and if it is known in advance you are pre-treated. To sum up, this is the most diagnostic tool we have to evaluate the heart’s circulation. In well trained hands, the risk is minimal.
A catheterization is only a procedure. It is a way to assess the arteries that supply the heart. In experienced hands, it is very routine. It is INVASIVE, it requires going into an artery, usually in your right wrist. It is done with local anesthetic so it is not painful. During the procedure, a small tube “catheter” is advanced with assistance of X-ray camera, all the way to the arteries that are connected to your heart. There is no pain involved. There can be a very rare complication of Dissection, which is a small tear in the wall of an artery. This is very rare and uncommon. Some bleeding and bruising can occur at the site of entry in your wrist which can cause some mild discomfort for a day or two. You may have a dye reaction if you are allergic to IODINE, but this is usually mild, and if it is known in advance you are pre-treated. To sum up, this is the most diagnostic tool we have to evaluate the heart’s circulation. In well trained hands, the risk is minimal.
