Why is Cardiac Catheterization 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, a nuclear scan or a multislice coronary CT scan.

Your doctor is recommending a cardiac catheterization to identify the heart problem or its severity more precisely. A cardiac catheterization can show:

• 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

• If the pressures in the heart and lung are normal or abnormal; and if abnormal, to further assess what the etiology of the problem might be.