cardiac catheterization

[mheintz02543]

Is there any reason to bother with a Cardiac Catheterization test if I've already been put on a beta bloker and statin?
Or should we give the drugs time to work?
Can drugs and exercise reduce restriction in an artery?  
I recently had a stress test that suggests ischemia.  The next recommendation is to have a Cardiac Catheterization.  But I'm getting inconsistent advice from my primary Dr., stress test Drs and follow on Cardiologist.  

[mheintz02543]

Thank you all for your comments, it's much appreciated to hear from folks with experience.  But how about a Dr?  Any Doctor want to comment on my question?

[NTB]

I'll toss in my two cents and agree with KK that you should avoid an interventional procedure if there is conflicting advice from docs.

You can also look at it this way: what would you do different depending on the results? You'll still presumably take the same drug(s), control your diet and engage in exercise.

> Can drugs and exercise reduce restriction in an artery?  

I am just learning myself about this, but I'd say that when statins (and diet) get LDL low enough, there is regression, yes. And getting HDL higher contributes to that. Exercise increases HDL. So does saturated fat. And alcohol.

There is also now to be considered the strong association of inflammation with atherosclerosis, from the famous JUPITER trial.

[jondsam]

If you really care about your health, and hold it high on your list of important things in your life, then id get the cath.  Hell, my cardio wanted to do one for me for my PvC's.  He thought maybe my heart was not getting enough oxygen and to really see what is going on.  These procedures are routine, get the cath if you care about your health and your heart.  If your already clogged you need a blood thinning med not a statin, to help

[kenkeith]

Yes, medication can and will dilate occluded (ischemic) vessels reducing the heart's workload (lower the resistance).  You do not need to subject yourself to the risk of an interventional preocedure, and I will add if you have an interventional cardiologist doing a cath, the likelihood of a stent implant is high (more money).  There is printed documention that evidentially supports unnecessary stent implants and given that fact one can conclude there are unnecessary cath intervention as well.

I have a completely blocked LAD and 72% circumflex blockade for the past 5 years, and medication serves me very well.  My first intervention cardiologist (5 yrs ago) did an angiogram and stented a 98% RCA (that was necessary at the time to provide blood/oxygen to an area of hypokinesis (impair heart muscle movement).  Two months later he wanted to do a stent on the circumflex!!  I had no symptoms (I was shocked!), and when I asked him what that would do for me, he couldn't answer,  he moved on-of-state a month later!!!

If medication prevents chest pain associated with ischemia, it is unnecessary to have a cath.

[Encephalomalcia]

If you really want to know how your heart is, you need to have a cardiac cath.  The other tests do not even come close to what the cath will find out.  Medication alone is not enough if you have plugged arteries.  If you only have a few plugged, stents can be placed to keep the artery open.  The cath is really not that bad and well worth it.  You do not want to end up having a heart attack, which can happen even if you are on a beta blocker and statin.