Cardiac Catheterization
Background
As people age, the normal flow of blood through the arteries can be affected by the buildup of plaque inside the arteries. Over time, plaque continues to grow on arterial walls as cholesterol circulates in the blood; as the plaques enlarge, the arteries become narrow and stiffened. This process is called atherosclerosis, commonly known as “hardening of the arteries,” because the plaque buildup thickens the walls of the arteries’ and narrows the space through which the blood flows, reducing the circulation of blood through the area of the body that gets its blood from the artery.
Cardiac catheterization involves the insertion of a catheter, a thin, flexible tube, into an artery in the leg or arm, which a physician then advances to the arteries in the heart. During angiography, physicians inject dye through the catheter that allows them to create x ray images of the heart’s blood vessels. Both diagnostic and therapeutic catheterization, such as angioplasty and stenting, may occur during the same procedure.
When is the procedure indicated?
Angioplasty is indicated for the following people who have one or more of the following:
- Significant blockage in one or two coronary arteries
- Angina Pectoris
- A risk of having a heart attack
In less advanced cases of atherosclerosis, medication is the first line of treatment; when atherosclerosis is advanced or does not respond to medication, angioplasty and stenting are recommended, often as an alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery.
Coronary Angioplasty and Stent
Angioplasty is a procedure during which a physician inflates a small balloon inside a blood vessel to press against and flatten the plaque, re-opening the artery. The goal of angioplasty is to restore adequate blood flow (revascularization) through the affected blood vessel. To prevent the newly opened blood vessel from collapsing or being narrowed or closed by plaque again, a physician inserts a stent, a tiny, expandable metal mesh tube that fits inside an artery that has been widened by angioplasty.
Pre Procedure Guidelines
- Nothing to eat or drink for 12 hours prior to the procedure. You may however be instructed to take certain medications with a sip of water.
- Inform your physician of medications to control Angina, hypertension, and diabetes.
- You may be asked to hold certain heart medications on the day of your test.
- Inform your physician of any iodine or shellfish allergies.
Post Procedure Guidelines
- If the right hand (radial artery) is used for the procedure, then refrain from lifting anything heavier than 10 lbs from that hand for 48 hours.
- If the leg is the access site for your procedure, similarly avoid lifting heavy objects and avoid squatting for 48 hours post procedure.
- If a special plug or suture device is used in your leg artery, then avoid taking bath for 4 days. You can shower.
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Jackson, NJ 08527
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