Cardiac Catheterization

When people hear the word catheterization, it’s easy for their minds to jump to a procedure involving the urinary tract. However, it can also help with issues of the heart. At New York Medicine Doctors, we can perform a cardiac catheterization to both diagnose and treat certain heart conditions. While this procedure is invasive, it can offer our cardiologists the needed insight to help get you back to full health. 

When Is Cardiac Catheterization Necessary?

There are numerous scenarios in which our team of cardiologists may recommend undergoing cardiac catheterization. Sometimes, this procedure can best benefit patients through a diagnostic lens. For others, it is a form of treatment. Below are a few scenarios that a cardiac catheterization may be used for:

• Monitoring blood pressure and oxygen levels.
• Assessing the pumping function of your heart.
• Searching for narrowed or blocked blood vessels.
• Widening narrowed blood vessels.
• Using ablation to treat irregular heart rhythms.

Are There Any Potential Risks?

As with any other invasive procedure, one must understand that there are risks that come along with undergoing cardiac catheterization. Our team would like to lay them out for you, so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you’d like to undergo this. Examples of a few of the potential risks include:

• Bruising.
• Infections.
• Blood clots.
• Excessive bleeding.
• Kidney damage.

How Can You Prepare? 

To achieve the best test results or treatment, our doctors will likely ask you to take some preparation steps before the procedure. These will all be laid out for you, and you can ask our team for clarification should you have any questions. Preparation for cardiac catheterization include:

• Not eating anything for a certain period before the surgery, as directed by our doctors.
• Let our doctors know of all the medications you are currently taking.
• Potentially halting your intake of any blood-thinning medications.