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Essay about Cardiac Catheterization

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Cardiac catheterization is often referred to as coronary angiography or a coronary angiogram. It is a radiographic procedure that is used to look at and visualize the heart and the coronary arteries. During a cardiac catheterization it is possible for the cardiologist performing the procedure to see how effectively blood is flowing through the coronary arteries. In addition, this procedure allows the cardiologists to see how blood is moving through the chambers of the heart and how effective the heart valves are functioning. A cardiac catheterization can also allow for the visualization of the movement of the walls of the heart to see if the pumping action of the heart is normal. The primary application of cardiac catheterization is to …show more content…

The stent will be placed where it can be expanded to hold the artery open. Some stents are designed to simply keep the artery held open. Other stents used are drug-eluting stents. These stents are coated with pharmacologic agents that work to prevent restenosis of the artery. Another form of PCI is artherectomy. This is a procedure that has a cardiologist using a cutting blade that spins rapidly or a laser beam to cut away or burn away plaque that is blocking a branch of the coronary arteries. To perform a cardiac catheterization the patient is brought to the cardiac catheterization lab. These procedures are performed by specially trained cardiologists, nurses and radiologic technologists. The procedure is performed on a specialized table with fluoroscopy equipment, cardiac monitoring equipment, and the use of computerized technology to assist in data and image collection and analysis. To perform a cardiac catheterization the cardiologist will insert a sheath, or a short tube usually into the femoral artery. A long very thin catheter will then be fed through the sheath and guided through the arteries until it is in the heart and coronary arteries. The physician uses fluoroscopy equipment to guide the catheter into the coronary arteries. To allow for clear viewing of the coronary arteries, contrast material is injected into the catheter. As the contrast material flows through the heart chambers and coronary arteries x-rays are taken. The

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