An insertion is made into a vein for threading the catheter into the heart. Local anesthesia is given to insert the catheter, and the only sensation is one of pressure at the site. Discomfort may arise from having to lie still for prolonged periods of time. The procedure may last up to 1 hour, and in a critically ill patients, the catheter may remain in place for several days for monitoring. The risks of the procedure are cardiac arrhythmias , cardiac tamponade , trauma to the vein, low blood pressure , infection, embolism from blood clots at the tip of the catheter, hemorrhage, stroke , and heart attack .
Cardiac catheterization is used to study the various functions of the heart.
Using different techniques, the coronary arteries can be viewed by injecting dye or opened using balloon angioplasty. The technique can even be performed in small, newborn infants.