I had it done a few years back. You are awake and can see the catheter on a screen traveling along the vein. You have to stay down for a while after having it before you are up and around. They are looking for a blockage.

It wasn't bad at all. I'd been in the hospital for several days and had five docs arguing over a) what was really wrong with me, and b) when, or even whether, they were going to do a heart cath. I solved their problem by calling their bluff and having chest pain on Thanksgiving night. I made the cardiologist come in and do the cath at 11 pm! I was already a little goofy because I'd been given some Zofran for the nausea that accompanied the chest pain and he gave me something else, but I could still watch the screen and see the artery open up. That was pretty cool.

I knew what to expect because I'm a (retired) cardiology nurse and have cared for innumerable cath patients. Here's the deal. I don't know whether your doc will go in through the groin (femoral artery) or the wrist (radial artery). You can request the wrist if you get a choice; it's a whole lot easier on you. Either way, you'll most likely be given something to relax you a little plus something to numb the area (I won't lie, that's a big honking needle they use). Then the doc will go in with a very long catheter and under fluoroscopy, thread his way to your heart and look for the blockage(s). He'll use that plus some dye to open them up. That's the cool part if you elect to watch the screen---you can actually see them open and blood flow through again! But you don't have to watch, you can just drift off. Afterwards you'll go to recovery where a nurse will monitor your vital signs for awhile. If this is an outpatient procedure (some are) you'll go home after several hours with a sheet of instructions, prescriptions for some blood thinning drugs (most likely Plavix and aspirin) and maybe even pictures of before and after. (My husband had mine framed and they are on the wall outside his home office---he says to remind him that he almost lost me.) Good luck to you! You got this!!

I am going on 90… 2010 had heart surgery… Va love isert, No problems, other than coming out of sedatives, hallucinating, which at the time were really weird, like real, all in the mind, no Problem. I am
Sure you will okay and in good hands, as my daughter an RN says may your Sugeon have small and agile fingers. Take care and relax, all the best to you

It’s invasive but it is necessary to diagnosis any blockage. It really is the definitive test for any heart problem. They will do a stent if you need one. After the procedure you will be in recovery and kept still for a few hours as a precautionary measure. Good luck.

but they'll be able to shake you awake if they need to ask any questions. It won't make your day, but you will sleep through most of it.. It's still the gold standard when it comes to seeing arteries and finding out whether or not they are blocked. Most of the time, they can open small blockages with tiny coiled wires called stents, meaning that with medication and some lifestyle changes, you'll be able to avoid bypass surgery.

Don't be alarmed by that "big honkin needle" post. Your leg will be numbed by several anesthetic shots, the first two sting but the sting goes away fast. Your artery is opened by a needle, then a flexible plastic tube (they'll call it a sheath) is put in and the needle taken out. The instruments are threaded into the artery through the flexible tube.

I can't tell you how long you'll be in there, it depends on what they find and what they do about it. You'll stay mostly in La La Land until the instruments are out and it's time to take you back to your room.

I've been retired along time, so I imagine they've got more precise instruments and better drugs, but the principle should be about the same. You should do fine. See you on the other side.