- Do not smoke for 24 hours before the procedure.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the test.
- Consult with us regarding which medicines to continue to take the evening before the test.
A small intravenous (IV) line is inserted into your arm and electrodes are attached to your chest and legs. A small cardiac catheter (a long, flexible tube, no wider than the refill cartridge of a ballpoint pen) will be inserted into your arm or groin. Numbing medicine will be injected into the skin at the site where the catheter will be inserted and a small needle will puncture the skin to expose the blood vessel. The catheter is threaded into the blood vessel until it reaches the heart. Once there, dye will be injected and an image or X-ray film will be created. Pictures will be taken of the walls and chambers of your heart and coronary arteries. Once the catheterization is over and the catheter is removed, a bandage will be firmly taped to the site.
There are several methods to close the catheter puncture site in the artery:
- Pressure and bed rest
- Stitches at the artery puncture site
- Collagen plug
Let the staff know immediately if you experience symptoms such as:
- Bleeding or wetness at the cath site
- Pain or numbness