What Is A Cardiac Catheterization, What Does It Show My Doctor, And What Are The Dangers?

— -- Question: I'm allergic to radiocontrast dye and/or iodine and/or shellfish. can I get a catheterization?

Answer: If you have an allergy to X-ray contrast dye, then you should make sure that you inform your physician about this prior to cardiac catheterization. There are a whole variety of allergies and allergic reactions that can occur, and some of them can be serious.

Now the good news is that they can be prevented, and there are things that we can prescribe prior to catheterization -- both anti-histamines and sometimes even corticosteroid medications -- that can help block any allergic reactions.

So as long as your physician has advance knowledge of allergic reactions that you may have experienced in the past, then he or she can take the appropriate preventive measures to make sure that you don't have these again.

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