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How you prepare
By Mayo Clinic staffCardiac catheterization is usually performed in the hospital. The test requires some preparations. To prepare for your test:
- Don't eat or drink anything for 8 to 12 hours before your test, or as directed by your doctor. Having food or drink in your stomach can increase your risk of complications from anesthesia. Ask your doctor or nurse if you should take your medications with a small amount of water. If you have diabetes, ask for instructions about diabetes medications and insulin. You will usually be able to have something to eat and drink soon after your test.
- Take all your medications and supplements with you to the test. It's best if you take the original bottles so that your doctor will know the exact dose you take.
- Try to relax. It's common for people who are having a cardiac catheterization to feel anxious or nervous. You'll be given medications to help you relax. It's possible that the test will reveal that you need a procedure such as angioplasty right away, or that you could have a side effect from the medication given to you during the catheterization. Being nervous may cause your heart to beat more quickly or irregularly and may lead to complications.
Once you have checked in for your catheterization, you'll have your blood pressure and pulse checked. You'll be asked to use the toilet to empty your bladder. You'll be asked to remove dentures and may need to remove jewelry, especially necklaces that could interfere with pictures of your heart. You'll wait in a pre-operating room until it's time for your procedure — you can often have someone wait there with you.
References
- Cardiac catheterization. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cath/cath_all.html. Accessed Aug. 26, 2010.
- Eastwood J. Nurse's role in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. In: Moser DK, et al. Cardiac Nursing: A companion to Braunwald's heart disease. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:339.
- Coronary angiography. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ca/ca_all.html. Accessed Aug. 26, 2010.
- Carrozza JP. Complications of diagnostic cardiac catheterization. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 26, 2010.
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