Cardiac Catheterization and PCI
What is Cardiac Catheterization and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)?
Cardiac catheterization is a diagnostic procedure that allows cardiologists to assess the health of your heart and coronary arteries, while Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty or stenting, is a treatment procedure often performed immediately after cardiac catheterization if a significant blockage is found.
Considered the gold standard for evaluating coronary artery disease, cardiac catheterization helps determine if you need further treatment, such as medication, stenting, or surgery. PCI can be an effective treatment for improving symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina), and can also be used during a heart attack to quickly restore blood flow to the heart muscle.
Benefits & Risks of Cardiac Catheterization and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
Benefits of Cardiac Catheterization and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI):
- Accurate diagnosis: Cardiac catheterization provides detailed information about the health of your coronary arteries, helping your cardiologist make an accurate diagnosis and plan the most appropriate treatment.
- Less invasive: Compared to open heart surgery, cardiac catheterization and PCI are minimally invasive procedures with smaller incisions, less pain, and shorter recovery times.
- Symptom relief: PCI can significantly improve symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina) and shortness of breath, by restoring blood flow to the heart muscle.
- Improved quality of life: By alleviating symptoms and improving heart function, these procedures can enhance your overall quality of life and allow you to return to normal activities more quickly.
- Lifesaving in acute situations: During a heart attack, emergency PCI can quickly restore blood flow to the heart muscle, potentially saving heart tissue and reducing the risk of complications or death.
Risks of Cardiac Catheterization and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI):
- Bleeding and bruising: There is a small risk of bleeding or bruising at the catheter insertion site.
- Blood vessel damage: In rare cases, the catheter may damage or tear the blood vessel, requiring surgical repair.
- Allergic reaction: Some people may have an allergic reaction to the contrast dye used during the procedure, causing symptoms like itching, hives, or difficulty breathing.
- Kidney damage: The contrast dye can sometimes cause kidney damage, especially in people with pre-existing kidney problems.
- Arrhythmias: The procedure may sometimes cause irregular heart rhythms, which usually resolve on their own or with medication.
- Restenosis: In some cases, the treated artery may become narrowed again (restenosis) after PCI, requiring additional treatment.
- Stent thrombosis: Rarely, a blood clot may form within the stent, blocking the artery and causing a heart attack. This risk is minimized with proper medication and follow-up care.
What to Expect With Cardiac Catheterization and PCI
Before The Procedure
To prepare for the procedure, the patient is instructed to not eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of the procedure. Occasionally, IV fluid is given for hydration. For patients with kidney problems, a special medication is given the day before to protect kidney function. Patients are instructed to withhold certain medications both before and after the catheterization.
During The Procedure
After being brought to the catheterization room, the patient is given a mild sedative for comfort. After adequate sedation, the groin (or occasionally the arm) is prepared in a sterile manner. The catheterization site is then numbed using a local anesthetic introduced with a small needle syringe containing lidocaine. After adequate local anesthesia, a plastic sheath is inserted into the artery, followed by a long plastic tube.
Using special X-ray equipment, the catheter or tube is placed into selected areas in the heart and coronary arteries. Dye is injected to determine the location and severity of blockages in the coronary arteries. If a severe blockage is noted, recommendations for revascularization procedures such as angioplasty (opening the blockage using a balloon), stent placement (inserting a metal tube in the site of blockage), or bypass surgery are made. In addition, cardiac catheterization allows for measuring heart function and pressure inside the heart chambers and lungs, which helps determine the presence of congestive heart failure, valvular heart disease, and lung disease.
After The Procedure
The procedure generally takes about an hour. After completion, the tube and sheath are removed. A plugging device may be used to reduce the duration of bed rest after the catheterization. Routine bed rest for a few hours is required to minimize bleeding and avoid injury to the catheterization site. Because of the sedation, the patient cannot drive until the next day. Mild discomfort and discoloration may be noted in the catheterization site after the procedure.
Am I a Candidate for Cardiac Catheterization and PCI?
To determine if you are a candidate for cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), your cardiologist will consider several factors:
- Symptoms: If you are experiencing symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or fatigue, especially during physical activity, you may be a candidate for these procedures.
- Diagnostic tests: Non-invasive tests like electrocardiogram (ECG), stress tests, or imaging studies (e.g., echo or nuclear stress tests) may indicate the need for cardiac catheterization to better assess your heart health.
- Risk factors: If you have multiple risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking history, or family history of heart disease, your cardiologist may recommend cardiac catheterization to evaluate your heart's condition.
- Heart attack: If you are having or have recently had a heart attack, emergency cardiac catheterization and PCI may be performed to restore blood flow to your heart muscle and prevent further damage.
- Inconclusive non-invasive tests: If the results of non-invasive tests are unclear or inconclusive, cardiac catheterization may be necessary to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- Having heart surgery: Cardiac catheterization may be performed before heart surgery, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), to help plan the surgical procedure.
- Response to medications: If your symptoms do not improve with medication or lifestyle changes, your cardiologist may recommend cardiac catheterization and PCI to better manage your condition.
Get Answers With Advanced Cardiac Testing & Treatment
If you're experiencing symptoms of heart disease or need cardiac evaluation, don't wait to take control of your heart health. Schedule your appointment with our experienced cardiology team today to discuss if cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be right for you.
Photo Gallery
Video Gallery
Testimonials
Photo Gallery
Get To Know Our Cardiologists
In Search of Care? Request a Consultation Today
