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It is important that you receive follow-up care, know about the possible complications that may occur after the procedure, and follow the treatment plan that your doctor recommends for your condition.

After the procedure, your doctor will remove the catheter, sheath, and guidewire. A dressing, accompanied by pressure, is applied to the site where the catheter was inserted to stop the bleeding. You will be moved to a recovery room.

Cardiac catheterization takes place in a catheterization laboratory, or cath lab, which is similar to a small operating room. A long thin tube called a catheter is inserted via a needle, guidewire, and sheath into a blood vessel leading to the heart.

You will meet with your cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in the heart. Your doctor will ask you about your medical history, do a physical exam, give you instructions on how to prepare for the procedure, and may give you some tests or procedures.

Your doctor may recommend cardiac catheterization to find out what is causing signs or symptoms of a heart problem or to treat or repair a heart problem.

Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat some heart conditions. It lets doctors take a close look at the heart to identify problems and perform other tests or procedures on your heart.