Cardiac catheterization is a procedure that can be used to diagnose or treat heart disease, which involves the introduction of a catheter, which is an extremely thin flexible tube, into the artery of your arm or leg to your heart. Cardiac catheterization can also be called coronary angiography.
This type of procedure may be indicated both for the diagnosis of certain heart problems, as well as for the treatment of heart attack or angina, since it examines the inside of the blood vessels and the heart, allowing to detect and eliminate accumulations of fat plaques or lesions in these areas.
Cardiac catheterization is used to diagnose and/or treat a variety of heart conditions, including:
Cardiac catheterization can be performed in combination with other techniques such as coronary angioplasty, a technique used to unlock the coronary vessel and can be performed with a stent implant (metallic prosthesis) or simply with the use of a balloon, which at high pressure pushes the dishes, opening the vase. Learn more about how angioplasty is performed.
It can also be done in conjunction with percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty, which is used to treat diseases such as heart valves such as pulmonary stenosis, aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis. Also learn more about how valvuloplasty is performed.
Cardiac catheterization is done by inserting a catheter or tube into your heart. Step by step is:
The test does not cause pain. The most that can happen is for the patient to feel some discomfort during the sting of the anesthesia and a wave of temporary heat in the chest when the contrast product is injected.
The duration of the exam varies depending on the ease of catheterization of the target, being generally longer in patients who have already undergone myocardial revascularization surgery. Normally, the test does not last more than 30 minutes, being necessary to rest for a few hours and, if no problem, you can go home, if you have only performed the catheterization without any other associated intervention.
Generally, for a scheduled catheterization, it is necessary to fast 4 hours before the test and try to rest. In addition, only medicines prescribed by the cardiologist should be retained, avoiding un revised remedies, including home remedies and teas. Find out what care you should have before and after surgery.
Geralmente, a recuperação do procedimento é rápida, e quando não há outras complicações que impeçam, o paciente recebe alta hospitalar no dia seguinte com recomendação de evitar exercícios vigorosos ou levantar pesos acima de 10 kg nas primeiras 2 semanas após o procedimento.
Although very important and generally safe, this procedure can carry certain health risks, such as:
Risks are minimal when the test is scheduled, in addition, it is usually performed in well-equipped and cardiology reference hospitals, bringing in cardiologists and heart surgeons, superior or private.
These risks may occur, in particular, in diabetics, patients with kidney disease and people over 75 years of age, or in more severe and acute patients with myocardial infarction.