The procedure done to provide a diagnosis of coronary artery disease is called what?

The correct answer, cardiac catheterization, is a procedure that not only assesses the presence of coronary artery disease but also allows for direct visualization of the coronary arteries. This invasive procedure involves threading a catheter through the blood vessels to the patient's coronary arteries, enabling the healthcare provider to evaluate blood flow, identify blockages or abnormalities, and sometimes perform interventions like angioplasty or stent placement—all of which are crucial for diagnosing and managing coronary artery disease effectively.

While coronary angiography is often performed as part of cardiac catheterization to visualize the arteries using contrast dye, it is specifically a technique within the broader cardiac catheterization procedure. An echocardiogram is a non-invasive ultrasound test that examines heart function and structure, but it does not directly visualize the coronary arteries, making it less definitive for diagnosing coronary artery disease. Similarly, an electrocardiogram is used to assess the electrical activity of the heart and can suggest ischemia but doesn't provide direct evidence of coronary artery patency. Thus, cardiac catheterization stands out as the definitive method for diagnosing coronary artery disease.