Anesthesia in the Catheterization Laboratory

Adequate sedation and anesthesia during cardiac catheterization are essential to facilitate acquisition of meaningful hemodynamic data and to assist during interventional procedures. For the most part, hemodynamic or diagnostic catheterization procedures can be performed under sedation in all age groups. While in many interventional procedures such sedation may be appropriate, in ill patients or those procedures that are lengthy or potentially associated with significant hemodynamic compromise, or are prolonged, general anesthesia is preferable.