Right Heart Catheterization
Right Heart Catheterization
Right heart catheterization measures the pressures inside the right side of the heart and the arteries of the lungs. A thin tube (catheter) is passed through a vein in the neck, arm or groin into the heart. It is the standard test to confirm and classify pulmonary hypertension and to guide treatment, and it is also used in heart failure and transplant evaluations.
Preparing & What to Expect
How to prepare
- Do not eat or drink for several hours before the procedure, as instructed
- Tell us if you take blood thinners or diabetes medications; we will tell you whether and when to stop them
- Arrange for a driver if you will receive sedation
What to expect
The procedure is done in the hospital catheterization lab with local numbing medicine and light sedation, and usually takes under an hour. Some patients receive a medication during the test to see how the lung vessels respond. Most people go home the same day. Risks are uncommon and include bleeding or bruising at the insertion site and irregular heartbeats.
See also: Pulmonary Hypertension