The evolution of management of acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina and Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction): part II.

The first cardiac catheterization in a living human was performed in 1929 by Werner Forssmann.(1) Forssmann was a young urologist in training who catheterized his right atrium from his left anticubital vein and took a picture of the catheter in the right atrium. He also showed that it was safe to exercise with a catheter in the right atrium since he had to walk to the radiology department.