Name a potential complication of invasive cardiac testing like catheterization.

• A. Myocardial infarction
• B. Hematoma or arterial dissection
• C. Arrhythmia
• D. Heart murmur

Answer: (B)

Invasive cardiac testing, such as catheterization, carries several potential complications due to its nature of directly accessing the cardiovascular system. Hematoma or arterial dissection is a recognized complication because the procedure involves inserting catheters into blood vessels. This can lead to bleeding outside the vessel (hematoma) or tearing of the arterial wall (dissection), both of which can result in significant complications.

A hematoma can occur at the site of catheter insertion when blood leaks out into the surrounding tissue. This may happen due to damage to the blood vessel during the procedure. Arterial dissection involves a more serious injury where the layers of the artery wall are separated, which can compromise blood flow to vital organs and may require emergency intervention.

While other complications like myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, and heart murmurs can occur, they are less directly tied to the mechanical aspects of catheterization itself. For example, while arrhythmias can happen during many cardiac procedures, they are usually transient and related to manipulation of the heart rather than structural damage to blood vessels. Myocardial infarction could occur due to various reasons, including plaque rupture during the catheterization process, but again, it is not as specifically linked to the technical aspects of the invasive