A coronary angiogram is used to investigate symptoms that suggest obstructive coronary artery disease, such a chest pain or shortness of breath during exercise. Coronary artery disease is one of the leading forms of heart disease and in severe cases leads to a heart attack. Coronary artery disease is a chronic condition that progresses over time, a fatty substance called plaque builds up in the blood vessels that supply your heart with oxygen. Over time your blood vessels become narrowed or in severe cases blocked. The narrowing or blocking of your arteries reduces the amount of oxygen that can reach your heart muscles leading you to experience symptoms of coronary artery disease. Your cardiologist will use the results of your coronary angiogram to determine the most appropriate personalised management plan.
Coronary Angiogram
Why has a coronary angiogram been suggested?
A coronary angiogram (often referred to as ‘an angio or cardiac cath’) is a diagnostic procedure to find out if your coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked.
What is a coronary angiogram?
A coronary angiogram is a diagnostic procedure that is used to establish the symptoms you have been experiences are a result of narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. X-ray dye is injected into the arteries during the procedure showing the cardiologists how your blood flows through the arteries on the surface of your heart.
Why have I been referred to a different cardiologist for this procedure?
Western Cardiology follow a sub-specialisation model of care, this means that your procedure will be performed by a cardiologist who has undertaken extensive additional training in one area of cardiology. This style of practice has been shown to offer improved outcomes for patients, including:
- Reduced complication rates.
- Reduced re-admission rates to hospital.
- Reduced length of stay in hospital.
- Reduced mortality.
What should I expect during the coronary angiogram?
At Western Cardiology all our procedures take place at St John of God in Subiaco. This procedure takes place in a specially designed cardiac procedure room (known as ‘the cath lab’). During the procedure you will be awake, but for your comfort our team will give you a medication to help you feel relaxed (a sedative) and inject the puncture site in the wrist or groin with a local anaesthetic to numb the area.
Your cardiologist will then:
- Make a small puncture in either your wrist or groin and gently insert a cardiac catheter, a thin plastic tube.
- Slowly move the catheter through a blood vessel towards your heart
- Inject a small amount of X-ray dye into the coronary arteries
- Take X-rays as the dye moves through the blood vessels on the surface of your heart, this shows areas that have become narrowed or blocked
- Remove the catheter and apply pressure and a dressing to the puncture site.
You should expect the procedure to take around 20-45 minutes.
How should I prepare for a coronary angiogram?
You will need to have bloods taken before you have your coronary angiogram to check how well your kidneys are functioning.
Your cardiologist may request that you stop taking some of your medications before the procedure, especially blood thinners or SGLT2 inhibitors used to treat diabetes and heart failure. Instructions for this will supplied to you in writing.
We would also request you remove all jewellery before the angiogram.
Before the day of the procedure, please register with St John of God Subiaco Hospital admissions at www.sjog.org.au/myadmission and complete the online Admissions Form and follow their instructions. If you require any assistance please call 1300 863 566.
What are the risks associated with a coronary angiogram?
A coronary angiogram is a safe, common procedure, performed by one of our highly trained interventional cardiologists.
All procedures carry a small level of risk, commonly you may experience bruising or swelling at the puncture site used by your cardiologist to access your blood vessel.
Uncommonly a coronary angiogram may be associated with:
- Allergic reaction to the X-ray dye and medications given during the procedure.
- Bleeding, especially at the puncture site.
- Abnormal heart rhythms (called ‘arrhythmias’)
- Injury to the artery the catheter moves through.
- Changes to your kidney function.
- Acute heart attack or stroke.
- Emergency heart surgery and death from this procedure are rare.
Your individual risks will be discussed by your cardiologist before the procedure. They will depend on your age, your other medical conditions, and other factors.
Aftercare requirements
Following your coronary angiogram you will be moved to the recovery area or the cardiology ward to rest. You may feel a little tender in your groin or wrist and have some temporary bruising.
Depending on the outcome of your procedure you may be required to stay overnight.
Please arrange someone to collect you following your discharge as you will not be able to drive for 24 hours.
Coronary artery disease is a chronic condition that requires lifelong medication and lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of future events. A follow up appointment will be arraigned with one of our cardiologists to review your management plan following your procedure.