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Coronary Angiography

It is performed for the diagnosis of blocked arteries, for coronary artery and heart disease. X-Ray and a special dye are used to check the flow of blood through the patient’s heart. The procedure is done with cardiac catheterization.
Coronary Angiography

Uses of coronary angiography

  • To detect blockage in coronary arteries, and diagnose specific heart diseases such as aortic stenosis, atypical chest pain, unstable angina, unexplained heart failure
  • To open blockage if any, using PCI or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  • To assist physicians in diagnosis as well as to recommend treatment for the relevant coronary diseases

Medical Tourist guide

  • Patients can return home 24 hours after the procedure, though hospital stay for 48 hours is advisable. However, if there is any blockage, you can plan for PCI procedure which can happen during the same procedure.
  • Coronary angiography is used to find blockages in coronary arteries. Angiography reveals the severity of the coronary disease if any. It helps to select the optimal treatment, which could be coronary stenting, angioplasty, atherectomy, coronary bypass surgery.

Risk and Complications

It is a relatively safe procedure. Some risks associated are:

  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Low blood pressure
  • Arterial damage
  • Compression of the heart
  • Hemorrhage
  • Allergic reaction to the dye
  • Infection
  • Heart attack\ Stroke
  • Kidney damage

Pre Procedure Preparation

  • Patient has to be admitted one night before the procedure
  • Patient cannot drink or eat anything, 8 hours before procedure
  • Inform the doctor about drug allergy/allergies

During the Procedure

  • Patient has to wear hospital gown, and will be given mild sedative for comfort and relaxation. Electrodes will be attached to body for heart monitoring purposes
  • A catheter will be inserted in the upper thigh or groin, guided by a fluoroscope. The catheter will be advanced up to the opening of the coronary arteries
  • Dye is injected via the catheter to coronary artery and several X-Ray images are produced, which are known ad angiograms. The entire process takes approximately 30-60 minutes
  • Patient may be awake during the angiography, and feel some pressure when catheter is inserted
  • After the procedure is complete, catheter is removed, and insertion hole is sealed or compressed to prevent bleeding
  • Patient is transferred to the recovery room, then monitored for about 2-8 hours. The patient has to lie flat on the back in bed for a few hours to prevent bleeding
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