The pulmonary arteries are the two major arteries coming from the right ventricle of the heart.
Pulmonary arterial catheters can help diagnose and manage a wide variety of health problems.
What is a pulmonary arterial catheter used for?
Pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC), or right heart catheterization, is the insertion of a catheter into a pulmonary artery. Its purpose is diagnostic; it is used to detect heart failure or sepsis, monitor therapy, and evaluate the effects of drugs.
Where is the pulmonary arterial catheter placed?
Pulmonary artery catheterization uses a catheter that has an inflatable balloon at its tip.
The healthcare provider puts this tube through a large vein.
The pulmonary arterial catheter is then moved to the right atrium, one of the heart's upper chambers.
It is then moved on through the right ventricle and out through a pulmonary artery.