Cardiac Cath

Cardiac catheterization involves injecting dye into the coronary arteries - the blood vessels that supply the heart - to see if there are any blockages. This is the best test for coronary artery disease which can help clinicians determine if a patient is at risk for a heart attack. I hadn't seen a cardiac cath until this rotation, so it was new and fun for me. The difficulty is learning the coronary anatomy; depending on where the camera is positioned, recognizing the vessels can be tricky. But the pictures are quite beautiful and given my interest in procedures, I really enjoy being in the cath lab.

Cardiology has two faces. On the one hand, cardiologists master the physical exam; listening to the heart and assessing a patient's volume status are the two hardest things I do, and every day, I work on sharpening those skills. When confronted with chest pain, the most powerful tool is the history, and in this way, cardiology really rests on the fundamentals of patient care. On the other hand, cardiology has blossomed with technology. Procedures like cardiac catheterization which allows visualization and repair of tiny blood vessels are quite incredible. The heart can be examined by CT, MR, and ultrasound. Stress tests involve nuclear medicine. Cardiology technology really runs the gamut.