Cardiac catheterization is an invasive radiographic procedure used to examine the heart and its blood vessels. It allows the physician to evaluate cardiac function and the severity of cardiac disease, and to determine the most appropriate therapeutic intervention.
This interactive learning program is designed to give you a fundamental understanding of cardiac catheterization. The program begins with a brief overview of heart anatomy and coronary circulation, followed by an exploration of different topics in cardiac catheterization.
Upon completion of this learning program, you will be able to::
Describe the anatomy of the heart.
Describe the cardiac and coronary circulation.
Define cardiac catheterization.
List the diagnostic and interventional indications for cardiac catheterization.
Recognize contraindications to cardiac catheterization.
Describe the 2 main categories of cardiac catheterization labs and their different settings.