Low-Risk Cardiac Cath Outcomes

[OHR__0]

  I am in search of outcomes data for low-risk cardiac cath, both in inpatient and outpatient settings.  Any studies done in general on low-risk cardiac cath would be helpful as well.  Can you recommend some possible sources?  Thank you.

[CCF CARDIO MD DLB]

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Dear OHR
So called low risk cardiac catheterization is often done in community hospitals without angioplasty or open heart surgery-up. However, it can be difficult to judge which catheterizaton will be low risk ahead of time. It is only after things go wrong that the catheterization is no longer low risk. I therefore recommend catheterization in settings where there is immediate interventional cardiology back-up available. Whether there should be on site open heart surgical back-up is a matter of debate. It is still my preference that such back-up be present, but with modern interventional techniques such as stents, this is less of an issue.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.