A catheter is a type of small tube. Cardiac catheterization means the passage of a tube to the heart or to the blood vessels that nourish the heart. To get the tube to the heart, a doctor inserts it into a blood vessel in the arm or the leg. A cardiac catheterization test is usually done in a hospital or a special laboratory.

During this procedure, the doctor can measure blood flow in the heart. They can also monitor the heartbeat if they need to. They can even pass instruments through the catheter to treat the heart or its blood vessels.

An angiogram is the injection of a special dye into the heart or its blood vessels. During a cardiac catheterization procedure, the doctor may perform an angiogram. The dye shows up on an X-ray. The angiogram can show if there is blockage in the coronary arteries. These are the blood vessels that supply the heart. The angiogram can also show how the heart is beating and how the blood flows through the heart.

Cardiac catheterization and an angiogram are safe procedures with minimal risks. If you or a person in your family needs one of these tests, your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of the test with you. Some people can be allergic to the dye used during an angiogram. If you have ever had a reaction to a test, even a gall bladder test, that involves X-ray dyes, you should tell your doctor.

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