Cardiac cath vs. Angiogram? HELP PLEASE!!! :)

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Specializes in Operating Room.

What is the difference between a cardiac catheterization and an angiogram (or cardioangiogram)?

I can only see that, maybe, the insertion site is via an incision to get to a larger artery for the cath?

We have a cardiac test Wednesday! :eek:

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, PCU.

an angiogram involves the injecting of contrast dye into a vessel (and xrays to see the resulting picture)...artery or vein...it could be anywhere...leg, brain, heart, etc. more specifically, they are called arteriogram and venogram. in a left heart cath, a catheter in threaded to the coronary arteries, usually with a femoral entry site in my ccl, and c. dye is injected/xrays done, allowing visualization of the size/regularity of the vessels. in a right heart cath, a pulmonary artery catheter/swn ganz catheter in threaded via the venous system into the ra/rv/then the pa and wedges in the pa...pressures are checked along the way. a left heart cath does not mean they will go in the left groin or right heart cath...into the right groin. hope this helps...;)

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Thanks.

It does help.

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