Everything You Need to Know About Angiography

A doctor conducts an angiography to locate anomalies of the heart. The process involves looking for signs of cardiovascular illnesses and checking any blockages in the heart’s blood vessels. The test is conducted in the hospital’s radiology department, and usually, no hospital stay is required unless the patient needs further monitoring. You can look up sites like Inside Radiology to find out more about the procedure.

Why is Angiography Important?

With the help of angiography, a doctor can look for weak artery walls, bulges in the heart like tumours and aneurysms. A doctor can check if there are any fatty deposits in the heart, leading to atherosclerosis. It can also help the doctor detect blood clots or pulmonary embolisms.

On the other hand, it could tell if the heart or brain’s blood vessels and limbs are abnormally narrowing down, a condition known as vascular stenosis. It can also detect congenital abnormalities in children. The process could take about an hour or so.

What Should a Patient Do Before an Angiography?

A patient should provide the doctor with a complete and accurate medical history and reveal any allergies. Depending on medication a patient is taking, the doctor might ask the patient to stop taking it before the test.

A general health checkup and blood test are done, and the patient is also given a sedative on the day to relax. However, a patient should have someone to accompany him or her home as they cannot drive after the procedure.

What Is the Procedure for Angiography?

Once the patient is gowned, he or she has to lie still. They need to stay calm, but general anesthesia could be used for children.  A small area is cut over an artery, usually on the wrist or groin. Local anesthesia is applied to avoid hurting. A catheter tube is inserted into the artery.

Although there is some pushing, it does not cause any significant discomfort. Then, a contrast agent, like a dye, is pushed into the catheter. The patient might feel warm and flushed at this point. Then, as the dye flows through the arteries, images are taken to see any blockages or anomalies that the dye highlights.

In case there is a very narrow artery, a balloon-like substance is pushed into the catheter to widen it, known as angioplasty. Once the catheter is removed, the doctor applies pressure to stop the building, and no stitches are required. You can also check online resources like Inside Radiology to understand this process properly.

After the Procedure 

Once the procedure is completed, the patient may go home, but they should rest for the remaining part of the day. Test results might take a few days to arrive if a detailed inspection is required. Or, at times, it could be just due to the high number of patients. Also, drink lots of water to flush out the dye from the system.

It is advisable not to engage in any heavy activities for the next few days to avoid bleeding from the cut, and it is best to wait for the results to arrive so you know about the exact condition of your heart.

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    Articles written by experts in their field. Our experts are sharing their knowledge and expertise, however their opinions and ideas may not be the opinions of Wellbeing Magazine. Any article offering advice should be first discussed with their GP before trying any treatments, products or lifestyle changes.