Table of Contents
What symptoms require an angiogram?
Your doctor may recommend that you have a coronary angiogram if you have: Symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina) Pain in your chest, jaw, neck or arm that can’t be explained by other tests. New or increasing chest pain (unstable angina)
When would a doctor use an angiogram?
Doctors use angiograms to evaluate the flow of blood to the heart, brain, and other organs. An abnormal angiogram result may indicate that a person has one or more blocked arteries. In these cases, the doctor may choose to treat the blockage during the angiogram.
Should I be worried about having an angiogram?
Angiography is generally a safe procedure, but minor side effects are common and there’s a small risk of serious complications. You’ll only have the procedure if the benefits outweigh any potential risk. Speak to your doctor about the risks with having angiography.
Is a angiogram painful?
Will an angiogram hurt? Neither test should hurt. For the conventional angiogram you’ll have some local anaesthetic injected in your wrist through a tiny needle, and once it’s numb a small incision will be made, in order to insert the catheter.
Does an angiogram show all heart problems?
An angiogram can show your doctor where plaques have narrowed your arteries and if blood flow is slowed. But it can’t show if these plaques will cause a heart attack. You want more relief from your angina. The test can show your doctor if a procedure or surgery could improve your symptoms.
Is fatigue a symptom of clogged arteries?
Fatigue. If you have coronary artery disease, your blood cannot move as freely throughout your body as it normally would. The extra effort that your body must make to move blood through narrowed or hardened arteries will be apt to leave you feeling fatigued or tired quite frequently.
Do I really need an angiogram?
The main reason to have an angiogram is to locate a blockage that is causing chest pain or other symptoms. This is done in preparation for opening or bypassing the blocked artery. But if you aren’t having any symptoms, you shouldn’t be undergoing angioplasty or bypass surgery.
Why do you need to have an angiogram?
Your doctor may recommend that you have a coronary angiogram if you have: Symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain (angina) Pain in your chest, jaw, neck or arm that can’t be explained by other tests New or increasing chest pain (unstable angina) A heart defect you were born with (congenital heart disease) Abnormal results on a noninvasive heart stress test Other blood vessel problems or a chest injury
How serious is an angiogram?
The risks of angiograms include damage to the blood vessels, allergic reactions to tracer dyes, and bleeding at the site of injections and catheter insertions. Angiograms are invasive, and while the risks are low, they cannot be completely eliminated. Some patients may be more vulnerable to complications like kidney damage after an angiogram.
What to expect from your angiogram?
During an angiogram, your doctor will use X-ray imaging to examine your blood vessels. [1] Research suggests that you may experience a sensation of pressure during your angiogram, but it shouldn’t be painful, as your doctor will likely give you a mild sedative to help you relax. [2]