CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION QS&AS

CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION QS&AS Cardiac Catheterization - ANS--insertion of catheter into the heart through aortic arch Contrast medium in injected to view: *RCA (right coronary artery) *LAD (left anterior descending) *ventricles (assesses muscle function) *collateral circulation -all done under fluoroscopy What does the test tell us? - ANS-Evaluates: -heart valves -heart function (cardiac output) -blood supply -abnormalities -ventricular aneurysms -cardiac enlargement *evaluates the need for open heart surgery* CONS: not going to show structural defects or size or where an MI is located if patient already had a heart attack Where is the Cath placed? - ANS--insertion in groin or radial artery through the aortic arch on arterial side into coronary artery (high pressure side; increased bleeding) -dye injected into both the right and left coronary arteries -will discover abnormalities and occlusions *patient will be heparinized to decrease blood clot formation and will reverse the heparin after the procedure Left side of the heart - ANS-"powerhouse" -has more vessels feeding it than the right PCI - ANS-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention -all can correct the problem by opening up the artery -all require the patient to be heparinized (anticoagulant)