Coronary Angiography & Technique

Coronary angiography is a cardiac catheterization procedure. The procedure is used to determine why blood flow to the heart is being reduced. In some cases an emergency procedure is completed on patients undergoing a heart attack or stroke.

Identification

• A coronary angiography uses a special dye and X-ray to examine the inside of arteries. Coronary arteries supply oxygen to the heart. The procedure determines the extent of plaque buildup causing coronary heart disease in a patient. The test is also called a coronary arteriography.

Who Needs It?

• Those with signs of coronary heart disease could benefit from the procedure. The signs or symptoms include angina, congenital heart disease, heart failure, or heart valve problems. Angina is classified as an unexplained pain in the arm, shoulder, chest, or jaw area. The procedure is also conducted on people experiencing a sudden heart attack or cardiac arrest.

Test Preparation

• Coronary angiography procedures not done on an emergency basis require the patient to follow specific instructions. The patient should not eat or drink anything after midnight prior to having the test the following morning. Bring all medication bottles to the exam. Upon scheduling the exam, verify whether the patient is able to take required medications prior to having the procedure. This includes insulin and other diabetic medications.

Procedure

• The coronary angiography procedure requires the patient to lie on his back and be awake during the process. The table may need to be tilted during the procedure, requiring straps to be placed across the patient. A catheter is placed through a vein in the arm, groin, or neck, which requires numbing the point of insertion. The catheter is thread through to the coronary arteries. As the catheter moves, the physician is able to view a video of the process in order to place the tip of the catheter in the correct position. Once in position, a dye that is viewable through an X-ray is injected into the catheter. The catheter is removed after injecting the dye. The X-ray procedure to view the dye movement in the body is called an angiogram.

Complication

• While rare, the angiography procedure has the possibility of complications since it involves the heart and vessels surrounding the heart. There is a possibility of infection or excessive bleeding at the catheter insertion point. An angiography may prompt a heart attack or stroke in severe conditions. A rare complication is damage to the vessel as the catheter moves through. Some patients show signs of an allergic reaction from the injected dye, or in rare cases kidney damage. Low blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat may occur as the catheter is moving through the vessels.