WARREN — A new cardiac catheterization lab has opened at St. Joseph Warren Hospital, a Mercy Health-Youngstown facility.

With the new lab, St. Joe’s already successfully has performed several cardiac catheterizations and pacemaker procedures, a release from the health care provider states.

A cardiac catheterization lab, also known as a cath lab, is a specialized area used for minimally invasive tests and advanced cardiac procedures. During a cardiac catheterization, a catheter, or a long, thin, flexible tube, is inserted in a blood vessel and threaded to the heart, allowing specialists to perform various tests and treatments.

“Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in Americans,” Dr. Jill Uberti, emergency medicine physician, said. “Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive study used to best identify blockage. Having the ability to diagnose this type of heart disease is wonderful for our community.”