What Are the Risks of Cardiac Catheterization?

Cardiac catheterization is a common medical procedure that rarely causes serious problems. However, complications can include:

• Bleeding, infection, and pain where the catheter was inserted.
• Damage to blood vessels. Rarely, the catheter may scrape or poke a hole in a blood vessel as it's threaded to the heart.
• An allergic reaction to the dye used.

Other, less common complications of the procedure include:

• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats). These often go away on their own, but may need treatment if they persist.
• Damage to the kidneys caused by the dye used.
• Blood clots that can trigger stroke, heart attack, or other serious problems.
• Low blood pressure.
• A buildup of blood or fluid in the sac that surrounds the heart. This fluid can prevent the heart from beating properly.

As with any procedure involving the heart, complications can sometimes be fatal. However, this is rare with cardiac catheterization.

The risk of complications with cardiac catheterization is higher if you have diabetes or kidney disease, or if you're aged 75 or older. The risk of complications also is greater in women and in people having cardiac catheterization on an emergency basis.