Haemodynamics and Interventional Cardiology

Haemodynamics and interventional cardiology enable the anatomical and functional study of the heart by inserting catheters into the body to determine the condition of the coronary arteries. It also provides information about the valves and allows heart malformations to be detected. Once detected, specialists can make decisions, including the implantation of intracoronary devices and interventions such as valvuloplasty to resolve coronary and valvular conditions.

More specifically, cardiac catheterisation renders an accurate diagnosis of heart artery disease. It determines significant or complete obstructions and is used to determine the extent and severity of the disease. The information provided by this test is therefore essential for understanding the importance of heart disease and deciding on the most appropriate treatment for each patient's specific problem.

The emergence of new devices, particularly coronary stents (a metal mesh mounted on a small balloon, which is inserted into the heart artery through a catheter similar to those used for diagnostic catheterisation), makes it possible, where feasible, to treat many patients effectively, but in a less aggressive and much more comfortable way than open-heart bypass surgery.