Millions of people in the world are living with heart disease and some of them don’t even know they have it. Heart disease patients mostly get diagnosed with the disease they have after experiencing severe symptoms such as chest pain, heart attack caused by a blocked blood vessel, or cardiac arrest. Due to this, heart diseases are considered the leading cause of death; above diabetes, cancer, or injuries. Fortunately, many doctors have worked together and found a solution towards this problem. The invention of the cardiac catheterization not only serves to diagnose people with potential heart diseases through collecting crucial data such as heart beats, the degree of coronary artery stenosis, blood oxygen saturation levels, and structures of the heart and blood vessels, it can also be used as a treatment.
A commonly asked question is how cardiac catheterization is operated. This procedure must be conducted in a supervised hospital setting. You may need to stay overnight at the hospital the night before the test, or you may be admitted the morning of the procedure. The whole cardiac catheterization procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes. You'll be given medicine to help you relax, but you'll be awake during the procedure. First, the doctor will insert an intravenous, or IV line into one of the blood vessels in your groin or neck. Through this IV line, your doctor will pass a thin, flexible tube called a catheter. That tube will be threaded into either the left or right side of your heart. The doctor will use an x-ray as a guide to see where the catheter is going. While the catheter is in place, your doctor can check how well the blood is flowing into and out of your heart, and through the arteries around your heart, collect blood samples from your heart, measure the oxygen level in your heart, and even take a tiny piece of heart tissue, called a biopsy, when there's a situation of unexplained heart failure. During the operation, You may feel some discomfort or pressure where the catheter is placed. You may have some discomfort from lying still during the test or from lying flat on your back after the procedure. Cardiac catheterization is a safe procedure when performed by an experienced medical team. Some possible risks include bleeding, infection, and blood clots. These risks however, can be eliminated as long as you go to the doctor for a check up frequently.
In conclusion, cardiac catheterization stands as a cornerstone in modern cardiovascular medicine, with its profound significance and invaluable contributions reverberating throughout the field. By offering clinicians an unparalleled window into the intricate workings of the heart and its vasculature, this diagnostic procedure has revolutionized the diagnosis and management of various cardiac conditions. Indeed, cardiac catheterization stands as a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of innovation in the quest for healthier hearts and happier lives.
Picture Source: Cardiac catheterization. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2024, March 19). www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/cardiac-catheterization
Bình luận