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All About

Cardiac catheterization

Wildlife

Symptoms

  • Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina)
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed.
  • Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back.

Causes

  • Heart defects you're born with (congenital heart defects)
  • Coronary artery disease.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Smoking.
  • Excessive use of alcohol or caffeine.
  • Drug abuse.
  • Stress.

More about Treatment

Cardiac catheterization (kath-uh-tur-ih-ZAY-shun) is a procedure used to diagnose and treat certain cardiovascular conditions. During cardiac catheterization, a long thin tube called a catheter is inserted in an artery or vein in your groin, neck or arm and threaded through your blood vessels to your heart.

 

Using this catheter, doctors can then do diagnostic tests as part of a cardiac catheterization. Some heart disease treatments, such as coronary angioplasty and coronary stenting, also are done using cardiac catheterization.

 

Usually, you'll be awake during cardiac catheterization but be given medications to help you relax. Recovery time for a cardiac catheterization is quick, and there's a low risk of complications.

 

FAQ on this Treatment

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