A medical examination known as cardiac catheterization is carried out to confirm the status of heart and coronary arteries. Cardiac catheterization is basically used for measuring the flow of blood into the heart’s coronary arteries, inspection of heart valve open and closure position and frequency, detection of pressure of blood and flow of blood into the heart’s chambers, and monitoring of heart walls movement. In case of congenital heart disease, the cardiac catheterization proves helpful in diagnosis of children suffering the disease since birth. Existence of blockage in coronary arteries if observed by the doctor is then subject to a medical analysis by the insertion of slender elastic tube called catheter using a guide wire and a balloon, that can be inflated to increase the blood flow into the heart. For the heart and blood vessels to get detected in the x-rays test, doctors may put in unique dye inside the catheter. This dye helps in detection of plaque that could have narrowed or caused the blockage of coronary arteries.  

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention:

The process of insertion of catheter into the coronary arteries with unbroken skin is called as Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Three PCI are commonly known and they are as follows:

1. Angioplasty: It is a type of cardiac catheterization in which a small balloon is fixed to the catheter. Firstly, the catheter is placed at proper position in the coronary artery affected by plaque and then a balloon is filled with air. The inflated balloon air pressure is released on plaque in the coronary artery leading to expansion of walls and improvement in blood flow.
2. Stenting: This process is not carried alone and is mostly associated with angioplasty. Angioplasty leads to contraction of plaque and thereafter, a slender expansible tube wire known as stent is introduced to keep the coronary artery in open state. Stenting prevents the re-contraction or re-closure of coronary artery, which wouldn’t be the case in simply angioplasty.
3.  Atherectomy: This medical procedure is preferred incase of partial blockage in coronary artery. Here, as the catheter reaches the narrowed portion of the coronary artery, the equipments such as the cutting object, whirling rotoblade or a beam of laser is used for removal of plaque.

Overview:

To the point, the cardiac catheterization helps in sensing of prevalence of any diseases related to coronary arteries. Cardiac catheterization shows the positioning and sizing of the plaque (calcium deposits) or may be fats that accumulate in the coronary arteries of heart resulting from atherosclerosis. This medical analysis is carried out to ascertain whether a patient needs to opt for angioplasty or bypass surgery. An individual is recommended to discuss out the things of concern with the doctor, before going on for cardiac catheterization. The things of concern could be the preparatory procedure or, external medicinal consumption status or its affect on catheterization process. Another important thing is giving the knowledge of any pertaining disease to the doctor, such as kidney disease or diabetes, so that the doctor could take precautionary steps to avoid any further complications. Cardiac catheterization has lead to many advantages in terms of boon to human life.