Cardiac Care…Stat

When you’re having heart trouble, every second counts. Trinity Hospital of Augusta's Cardiac Catheterization Lab features advanced technology that gives physicians quick access to information during a procedure – helping us diagnose the problem and move quickly to treat it.

A cardiac catheterization is a specialized study to check the condition of your heart and coronary arteries, monitor the performance of the heart valves and check for any defects. It can measure the heart’s functions, evaluate narrowed or leaking heart valves and determine whether you might need angioplasty, stents or coronary bypass surgery. The cath lab is often the first stop for patients experiencing a possible cardiac emergency: chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or palpitations.

The procedure is performed with a very thin, hollow tube inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and guided to the heart. Once there, the catheter can be maneuvered to different locations to provide information about a variety of cardiac conditions such as artery blockage or congenital heart defects. Sedatives are given before and during the procedure for relaxation, and recovery takes place in a separate area pending discharge or admission into our hospital.

The process takes approximately one hour. You and your physician can use this report as a guide for your heart treatment plan.