CVA Physicians perform cardiac catheterizations at most Louisville area hospitals. Many cardiac caths are performed in our own outpatient catheter-ization lab located at the Springs Office. There are several advantages to a procedure at CVA cath lab including a more comfortable, relaxed atmosphere with better maintained schedule times because there are no emergency procedures as in a hospital setting. A cardiac catheterization requires only a local anesthetic.The patient stays awake during the procedure. Most patients are ready to go home in a few hours. A cardiac cath is a procedure, also known as a arteriogram. A slender tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin or arm and guided through the arteries into the heart where the coronary arteries are visualized by injecting a "contrast dye." X-rays are taken to monitor the dye as it flows through the arteries. This allows the cardiologist to visualize the coronary arteries to determine if the arteries narrow or are blocked by build up of plaque which can restrict blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart.

Instruction Sheet

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