cardiac catheterization
An invasive procedure using a catheter to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease.
Full Definition
Cardiac catheterization is an invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in which a thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted into blood vessels and guided to the heart to evaluate cardiac function and coronary anatomy. The procedure can be diagnostic (to assess coronary blockages, measure pressures, evaluate valve function) or therapeutic (to perform angioplasty, stent placement, or valve repair). In cardiac rehabilitation, patients frequently enter programs following cardiac catheterization procedures, and the timing of rehabilitation initiation depends on the type of intervention performed and access site healing. Understanding catheterization results is crucial for appropriate risk stratification and exercise prescription development.
Usage
Usage note: Commonly abbreviated as 'cardiac cath' in clinical notes but spell out in formal documentation.
In Context
- "Cardiac catheterization revealed 90% stenosis in the left anterior descending artery." — Diagnostic procedure report
- "The patient is cleared for exercise 48 hours post-cardiac catheterization with femoral access." — Medical clearance documentation