Cardiac Catheter Information All Patients Should Know

Posted by: Tampa Cardio

On: August 26, 2020

Cardiac Catheter Tampa Cardio

If your cardiologist needs to get a close look inside of your hearts blood vessels, they will use a special x-ray known as an angiogram. Dye is inserted using a thin hollow tube known as a catheter. This is what cardiac catheterization is. It is used to check for heart diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, or disease of the aorta.

The catheter is inserted and then guided using x-ray imaging. The insertion point is located in the groin area and snaked up through the aorta.

These images give the cardiologists the information they need to diagnose your heart properly allowing you the best treatment and possible outcome.

Cardiac catheterization may seem intimidating but has been performed millions of times worldwide and is relatively safe and a minor procedure that can help potentially save your life. You must keep the insertion area dry for 48 hours but are able to be up and walking around again with in 6 hours or less.

This procedure is very thorough and makes it simple for your physician to decide if you require further treatments (such as an interventional procedure or a bypass surgery) or not and which is the best course of action. It is done with the patient awake but sedated. It is not painful.

Its best to never ignore heart problems. People often will feel pain, tightness, twinges, and palpitations and write them off as an anomaly figuring they will just go away. While sometimes this is the case it isn’t always and it is in your best interest for your health to get checked out.

Tampa cardiovascular Associates invites you to give us a call at 813-975-2800 to make your appointment today or to visit us on the web at www.tampacardio.com to learn more about our practice.

 

Posted by: Tampa Cardio

On: 26/08/2020

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