Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Offering the Most Advanced Technology to Diagnose Heart Disorders

Monmouth Medical Center's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory provides invasive cardiac services, offering advanced technology for the diagnosis of a wide range of cardiac disorders. We also offer full service diagnostic cardiac catheterization and emergent angioplasty for acute ST elevation myocardial infarction.

The Lab, led by a fellowship-trained cardiologist and staffed by highly qualified nurses, technicians and other medical professionals with years of experience in cardiac care, takes a team approach to treatment that allows your care to remain in the hands of both your primary care physician and your heart specialist.

The information on this website is provided to help you understand the cardiac catheterization procedure.

  • What Catheterization Tells Us About The Human Heart
  • Why is Cardiac Catheterization Necessary?
  • What Will I Learn From This Procedure?

For additional information on services provided by Monmouth Medical Center's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory or to schedule an appointment, please call (732) 923-6875.

What Catheterization Tells Us About The Human Heart

Your heart is a muscular organ that is the size of your closed fist. It beats more than 100,000 times a day and pumps blood throughout your body. The human heart is comprised of four chambers and four valves. Blood vessels called coronary arteries supply the necessary oxygen and nutrients to the heart and other muscles and organs to stay alive.

Symptoms such as shortness of breath, angina (pain or discomfort in the chest, arm or jaw), dizziness or palpitations may signal problems with the functioning of your heart.

Monmouth Medical Center's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory offers the most thorough testing to determine the cause of these symptoms and to observe how well your heart is working.

A cardiac catheterization lets your doctor see, through X-ray images, if any narrowing and/or blockages of coronary arteries exists and locates the problem area. With this non-surgical procedure, your doctor will be able to determine if the heart valves are opening and closing properly, and observe how efficiently the heart muscle is pumping.

Why is Cardiac Catheterization Necessary?

Sometimes coronary arteries become clogged or narrowed because of fatty deposits of plaque, resulting in a condition called atherosclerosis. As plaque buildup increases, it becomes difficult for your arteries to supply enough oxygen-rich blood for your heart to work properly. If the artery becomes totally blocked, a heart attack can occur.

Stress tests, electrocardiograms and other cardiac diagnostic procedures provide considerable information on heart muscle and heart valve function. However, these tests may not always provide a complete picture. Cardiac catheterization allows your cardiologist to view an outline of the coronary arteries and more precisely determine the extent of blockages in these vessels.

What Will I Learn From This Procedure?

Cardiac catheterization is performed by your cardiologist, who inserts a narrow and soft flexible tube called a catheter into a blood vessel and gently guides it toward your heart. Once the catheter is in place, X-rays and other tests are done.

Cardiac catheterization can show:

  • If coronary arteries are blocked.
  • If your heart is pumping normally.
  • If you have any structural heart problems.
  • If you have any valvular heart problems.

Many X-rays are taken during the catheterization procedure. Once your doctor has viewed these images, he or she will discuss the final results with you. If your cardiac catheterization reveals a heart problem, the detailed information gained through this test will help you and your doctor develop the best possible treatment plan for you.

For more information
If you are interested in this study, contact the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory staff at 732-923-6875.