What is a cardiac catheterization?
Cardiac catheterization is an invasive procedure in which a long thin tube called a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel (typically in your arm or groin) and led to your heart using contrast dye and a type of X-ray machine in order to assess heart health. This procedure produces a clear image of your vessels, arteries, and chambers so that Dr. Jain can determine how well your heart is functioning.
Why may I need a cardiac catheterization?
Dr. Jain may perform a cardiac catheterization in order to confirm a suspected blockage to an artery, to evaluate heart muscle strength and function, or to determine if a patient has heart disease. Different forms of heart disease that can be detected by a cardiac catheterization include heart valve disease, disease of the aorta, and coronary artery disease.
Cardiac catheterizations may also be used to determine if further interventional procedures or treatment is needed.