Coronary angiogram

A coronary angiogram is a test to look at the large blood vessels of your heart (coronary arteries). These blood vessels feed blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your heart muscle.

This test is done to check blood flow in your coronary arteries. It can show the size and location of narrowed or blocked sections of an artery.

• You may get medicine to help you relax.
• A thin tube called a catheter is put into a blood vessel in your groin or wrist.
• You will get a shot to numb the skin where the catheter goes in. You may feel pressure when the doctor moves the catheter through your blood vessel into your heart.
• Dye is put into your coronary arteries through the catheter. Your doctor can see the dye as it moves through the arteries. This lets your doctor look for areas that are narrowed or blocked.
• You may feel hot or flushed for several seconds when the dye is put in.
• If you have a narrowed or blocked artery, the doctor may do an angioplasty or a coronary stent procedure. These procedures make more room for blood to flow.

Procedures can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for your procedure.

Preparing for the procedure

• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
• Understand exactly what procedure is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your procedure. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the procedure and how soon to do it.
• If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your procedure. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.