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

Cardiac catheterization

Cardiac catheterization (cardiac cath or heart cath) is a procedure to examine how well the patient heart is working. It is a special study of the heart and the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. A thin, hollow tube called a catheter is inserted into a large blood vessel that leads to his heart.

This allows the doctor to gather information about the coronary arteries and the structure and function of the heart. It’s also the first step in certain procedures to improve heart function.

Once the catheter is in place, pressures in the heart are measured. An x-ray angiogram (motion picture x-ray) of the heart and blood vessels is taken. This is done while injecting an iodinated colorless "dye" or contrast material through the catheter. An angiogram of the coronary arteries is obtained by injecting the contrast material into the opening of a coronary artery.

Cardiac cath can:
■Show whether the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle are narrowed or blocked.
■Show whether the heart is pumping normally and blood is flowing properly through the heart.
■Help your doctor to form a treatment plan based on test results.
■Make treatment of certain heart problems possible.
■Rule out certain heart problems.

Cardiac catheterization