Two types of cardiac catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a common procedure done to diagnose or treat a variety of heart problems. A cardiac catheterization procedure is usually performed in a cardiac catheterization laboratory with the help of fluoroscopy to guide and position the catheters in the appropriate position.

There are two types of cardiac catheterization procedures: right heart catheterization (RHC) and left heart catheterization (LHC).

Right heart catheterization (RHC) is a diagnostic procedure used to measure pulmonary artery pressures and thus evaluate whether a patient has pulmonary hypertension or not, and sometimes what is causing the pulmonary hypertension.

Left heart catheterization is the passage of a thin flexible tube (catheter) into the left side of the heart. Left heart catheterization, also known as a coronary angiogram is a minimally invasive procedure used to detect coronary artery disease and other various abnormal heart conditions as well as overall heart function.

Left heart catheterization has a diagnostic as well as therapeutic role. Although it is used for cardiac hemodynamics and assessment of valvular lesions, its main diagnostic role is the assessment of coronary artery disease.
Two types of cardiac catheterization