Detecting a blockage in your heart or arteries early is crucial for preventing serious cardiac events. Swift diagnosis and treatment can make a significant difference in your heart health.

At Tanner Heart Care, our experienced team may recommend cardiac catheterization if we suspect a coronary artery blockage. This procedure, also called a cardiac cath, heart cath, or angiography, is an essential tool for diagnosing blockages before they cause serious heart problems.

Understanding the cardiac catheterization procedure

During a cardiac catheterization, our heart care specialists insert a small hollow tube, or catheter, into a large artery in your upper leg, arm or wrist, guiding it to your heart.

With the help of moving X-ray images, they monitor how a special dye travels through your heart, highlighting any blockages.

A heart cath helps identify issues such as: 

• Valve function between heart chambers
• Arterial narrowing
• Abnormalities in heart chamber size and pressure
• Heart-pumping efficiency 

Post-procedure expectations

The heart cath procedure typically lasts about an hour, including preparation and recovery time. After the procedure, patients usually rest for three to four hours. Your care team will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure and temperature and check the insertion site for bleeding.

If the catheter was inserted through your leg, you may need to keep your leg elevated for several hours. Your doctor will give detailed care instructions for the insertion site, where some tenderness is normal for about a week. 

Heart Catheterization Frequently Asked Questions