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Right heart catheterization (RHC) is a common and important diagnostic procedure for people with pulmonary hypertension. During the procedure, a cardiologist will guide a thin, flexible tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in your neck or groin to reach the right side of your heart. This allows them to take crucial Show Full Answer

Right heart catheterization (RHC) is a common and important diagnostic procedure for people with pulmonary hypertension. During the procedure, a cardiologist will guide a thin, flexible tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in your neck or groin to reach the right side of your heart. This allows them to take crucial measurements of blood pressure in your heart chambers and pulmonary arteries.

The procedure is typically done as an outpatient procedure and causes minimal discomfort. It's considered very safe when performed at experienced facilities, with serious complications occurring in only about 1% of cases. During the RHC, your doctor will measure several important values including right atrial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, venous oxygen saturation, and cardiac index. These measurements create your hemodynamic profile, which helps determine the severity of your condition and guides treatment decisions. Your doctor may also perform vasoreactivity testing during the procedure, which involves giving you medications to see how your blood vessels respond.

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