Dr. Sarthak Khare, MD

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure done to check on the health of the heart. A tiny, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel through a very small opening, usually in the groin, and threaded through the blood vessel up to the heart. Once the catheter is in place, it can diagnose problems in the heart and perform certain corrective procedures.

A coronary catheter can be used to:

• Take blood samples
• Inject dye for an angiogram
• Check for valve defects
• Measure oxygen and pressure levels within the heart chambers
• Take a biopsy
• Perform a percutaneous coronary intervention, or procedure to clear blocked arteries
• Widen narrowed valve openings

A heart attack is a serious medical event that happens when the blood supplying oxygen to the heart is cut off, usually because of a blockage in an artery. This results in damage or death of part of the heart muscle. The heart can heal, but like any part of the body that was injured it leaves a scar. This scar tissue does not contract effectively, so the ability of the heart to pump is lowered after a heart attack.

A heart attack, sometimes called a myocardial infarction, can happen without warning. However there are certain factors that raise the risk of heart attack. Some of these are:

• Age
• Gender (most heart attack sufferers are male)
• A family history of heart attacks
• Smoking
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Unhealthy lifestyle choices (lack of exercise, poor diet, too much alcohol or stress)