Indications for Diagnostic Right-Sided Heart Catheterization

(www.hopkinsmedicine.org)

• Significant valvular pathology

• Suspected intracardiac shunting 

• Acute infarct—differentiation of free wall versus septal rupture 

• Evaluation of right- and/or left-sided heart failure

• Evaluation of pulmonary hypertension 

• Severe pulmonary disease 

• Evaluation of pericardial disease 

• Constrictive pericarditis 

• Restrictive cardiomyopathy 

• Pericardial effusion 

• Pretransplantation assessment of pulmonary vascular resistance and response to vasodilators