More than one million cardiac catheterizations (CCs) are performed annually in the United States and the majority are elective. Current guidelines recommend no fasting prior to elective CC, however recent studies suggest that eating and drinking as desired prior to elective CCs involving moderate sedation is safe.

This project will study the potential benefits of allowing patients to eat before elective CCs. Participants will be randomly divided into two groups. One group will receive pre-op instructions to fast, and the other group will be allowed to eat and drink as desired prior to their CC. Researchers will compare these groups with regards to patient satisfaction and respiratory complications.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Willing to comply with all study procedures and remain in contact with the study team to complete study assessments for the duration of the study
• Scheduled for an elective (non-urgent) cardiac catheterization
• Age of 18 or older at the time of consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adults unable to consent
• Pregnant women
• Incarceration
• Non-English-speaking patients
• Inability to eat by mouth
• Patients requiring general anesthesia for cardiac catheterization
• Inability to fast for at least 6 hours
• Personal history of pulmonary aspiration, or other known cardiopulmonary anesthetic complication(s)
• Urgent cardiac catheterization
• Inability or unwillingness to comply with all study procedures
• Previously enrolled in this study (patients may not be enrolled more than once for subsequent procedures)