While a cardiac catheterization typically takes around 30 minutes, preparation and recuperation time might take several hours. You should plan on spending the entire day at the hospital and have someone available to transport you home following the surgery. In addition, there are some other factors that might increase the duration of your procedure. Cardiac catheterizations are usually done through either of two small cuts in the skin of the chest or back. The doctor uses a thin tube called a "catheter" to give you various injections into your heart. These injections allow your doctor to see how blood is flowing through your coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. You will be given a general anesthetic for the procedure. While under anesthesia, your body will not produce any adrenaline or cortisol, which means you will remain calm during the test. Once you have been taken down for the procedure, you will likely notice some people walking by with balloons filled with helium. This is to help patients recover more quickly from the anesthesia used in the procedure. After your cardiac catheterization has been completed, your doctor will let you know what parts of your heart were healthy and which parts needed treatment. If any blockages are found in your coronary arteries, then treatments such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement may be recommended.