Safety, Efficacy, and Innovations in Cardiac Cath Procedures: A Comprehensive Review

Cardiac catheterization has become a cornerstone in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which remain the top contributor to global deaths. Initially developed as a purely diagnostic modality, cardiac catheterization has evolved into a dynamic and multifaceted interventional tool capable of addressing a wide spectrum of cardiac pathologies. With the growing global burden of ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, and cardiac arrhythmias, there is an increasing emphasis on developing procedures that are not only effective but also safe, minimally invasive, and technologically advanced. This extensive review provides an in-depth evaluation of the safety profiles and clinical efficacy of cardiac catheterization procedures, particularly focusing on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), structural heart interventions such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and electrophysiological procedures including catheter ablation. The review also explores into important aspects such as patient selection criteria, pre-procedural risk stratification, and outcomes in special populations including the elderly, women, patients with chronic kidney disease, and pediatric cases.