A right heart catheter (RHC) is a test performed in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory (cath lab) using X-ray images. It is the most accurate way of diagnosing different types of pulmonary hypertension. RHC is also known as cardiac catherisation.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare heart and lung condition where the pressure in the pulmonary arteries is higher than normal. The pulmonary arteries are major blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs.
With an RHC procedure, we can:
- See how well the heart is pumping
- Measure the amount of oxygen and blood pressures inside the heart and lung blood vessels (pulmonary arteries).
RHC can also be used to test for other medical conditions.
This leaflet provides more information about having an RHC procedure to test for pulmonary hypertension.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) refers to a group of conditions where the blood pressure in the lungs is raised due to narrowing of blood vessels in the lungs.