The cardiac cath lab
nurse will contact you one to two days before the exam. The nurse will
answer your questions and review pre-cath guidelines. Please tell the
nurse about any allergies or if you have ever had an unusual reaction
to iodine or X-ray contrast (dye).
Stop taking Coumadin,® at least three days before the procedure. If you are a diabetic taking Metformin
(Glucophage, ® Glucophage XR,® Glucovance®), talk with the doctor who
manages your diabetes. The contrast given during the cath may affect
the way Metformin works. You may not take Metformin for at least 48
hours after a cardiac cath. Contact your doctor to develop a short-term
plan for controlling your blood sugar (diet, other medicines or
checking blood sugar levels).
The night before the exam, do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
On
the day of the test, take only the medicine the nurse has instructed
you to take. Medicine should be taken with small sips of water.
Do not take Metformin (Glucophage,® Glucophage XR,® Glucovance®) on the morning of your test.
