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Cardiac Catheterization Procedure (Coronary Angiogram/ Angiography)
First, a cardiac catheterization is performed. The patient receives medication for relaxation. The doctor then numbs the area where the procedure will be performed. A sheath (thin, plastic tube) is inserted into an artery in the groin or sometimes the arm. A long, slender tube called a catheter is inserted through the sheath and guided through the blood vessel to the arteries surrounding the heart.
A diagnostic procedure called coronary angiography is performed next. During angiography, a small amount of contrast material is injected through the catheter and is photographed as it moves through the heart’s chambers, valves and major vessels. From the digital photographs of the contrast material, the doctors can tell whether the coronary arteries are narrowed and/or whether the heart valves are working correctly.
Interventional Procedures
An interventional procedure starts out in the same way as a diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Once the blocked artery is identified with the catheterization, the doctor performs the interventional procedure. There are several interventional procedures that may be used to open the artery. | 
