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What
is a Cardiac Catheterization?
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Cardiac catheterization (CC) is a common, nonsurgical procedure that
can help your doctor diagnose a heart problem. In some cases, catheterization
can be used to treat heart disease as well.
The procedure is done in a catheterization laboratory ("cath lab").
The physicians who perform the procedure, Drs. Thomas Ports and Dr.
Andrew Michaels, are faculty cardiologists with special training in
performing these procedures.
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Why is CC done?
Chest discomfort and shortness of
breath are a few signs or symptoms of heart disease that may concern
your physician. You have probably been through a number of tests
already such as a treadmill or stress test, an echocardiogram, or
a nuclear scan.
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Your doctor is recommending a cardiac
catheterization to identify the heart problem or its severity more
precisely. A cardiac catheterization can show:
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• If the blood vessels in your
heart have narrowed.
• If your heart is pumping normally
and blood is flowing correctly
• If the valves in your heart are
functioning normally.
• If you were born with any heart
abnormalities.
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Text provided by Andrew Michaels, M.D., Tony Chou, M.D., and Laura
Kee, R.N., Ph.D.,
Division of Cardiology, University of California San Francisco
Medical Illustration/Animation by www.MeristemStudios.com
Copyright © 2001 All Rights Reserved
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