ACS Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC) Practice Test

Right heart catheterization is the procedure specifically designed for evaluating pulmonary artery pressure and assessing right ventricular function. During this procedure, a catheter is advanced through the venous system into the right side of the heart and into the pulmonary artery, allowing direct measurement of pressures within these structures. This capability is crucial in diagnosing and managing conditions such as pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure, where understanding the hemodynamics of the right side of the heart is essential for effective treatment planning.

The other procedures mentioned do not focus on pulmonary artery pressures. Left heart catheterization primarily assesses the left side of the heart and is used for evaluating coronary artery disease, while coronary angiography visualizes blood vessels supplying the heart but does not provide direct measurements of right heart pressures. Cardiac MRI is useful for visualizing heart structures and assessing cardiac function but does not directly measure hemodynamic pressures. Thus, right heart catheterization stands out as the most appropriate method for assessing both pulmonary artery pressure and the function of the right ventricle.