Please pray for my Grandma today as she will undergo a Heart Cath.
Below, I put information about a Heart Cath from wedmd
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is a test to check your heart and
coronary arteries. It is used to check blood flow in the
coronary arteries, blood flow and blood pressure in the
chambers of the heart, find out how well the heart valves work, and check for defects in the way the wall of the heart moves. In children, this test is used to check for heart problems that have been present since birth (
congenital heart defect).
If your coronary arteries are blocked, your doctor can use a thin flexible tube (catheter), guidewire, and balloon to open them and improve blood flow to your heart. This is called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The three common types of PCI are:
Angioplasty. This may be done by attaching a small balloon to the catheter. Once the catheter has been guided to the proper location in a coronary artery, the balloon is inflated. The pressure from the inflated balloon presses the
plaque against the wall of the artery to improve blood flow. See an illustration of
angioplasty.
Stenting, which usually is done along with angioplasty. Once the plaque is compressed using angioplasty, a small expandable wire tube called a stent is inserted into the artery to hold it open. Reclosure of the artery is less likely to occur after angioplasty followed by stenting than after angioplasty alone. This is the most common procedure performed.
Atherectomy. This may be done during cardiac catheterization to open a partially blocked coronary artery. Once the catheter reaches the narrowed portion of the artery, a cutting device, a whirling blade (such as a rotoblade), or a laser beam is used to remove the plaque.