Is there a shot or an i.v. involved when doing a cardiac catheterization?

Cardiac cath: Yes. An IV line is started in the arm or hand to give you medications before and sometimes during the procedure. This generally involves sedation. There is also an injection into the skin at the heart cath vascular access site in the groin area, elbow area, or wrist for local anesthesia.

Yes: You will have an IV placed to give light sedation. You will then have the artery in your thigh accessed and a catheter placed in the vessel. Local anesthesia numbs the skin. The cardiologist can then use fluoroscopy -xray- to guide the catheter up to the heart. Contrast dye is then injected and xray pictures taken. Stents can also be placed similarly.