Understanding Your Heart Angiogram Results

Posted by drcardiologist on April 1st, 2021

If you are having symptoms of congestive heart failure and/or high blood pressure, an heart angiogram may be an option for your physician. As you know, coronary artery disease is the main cause of heart attacks and strokes in humans. Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits (cholesterol) build up along the walls of the coronary arteries, restricting the flow of blood to the heart. This condition can occur without warning and can progress gradually over time, unless treatment is initiated.

Common symptoms include chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, weakness, fainting, irregular heartbeats, and irregular heart rhythm. In addition to these symptoms, heart attack, heart disease, or congestive heart failure may develop if the blocked arteries are not diagnosed and treated promptly. If your doctor detects and diagnoses blocked arteries, he or she will likely refer you to an experienced vascular technologist, who will perform a number of tests to determine the nature and location of the blockage. Once the exact location and cause of the blockage is determined, your physician will be able to properly treat the condition, thereby reducing or eliminating your symptoms.

As previously mentioned, coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of heart attack and stroke. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose and treat, due to the fact that symptoms often mimic those of other, more serious illnesses. Many patients, who experience chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and chest pain unrelated to heart attack or stroke, believe that they are experiencing a heart attack or heart disease. In order to avoid this devastating situation, your physician will likely recommend that you undergo a simple angiogram, which is basically a diagnostic test used to identify abnormal blood flow in the arteries.

When your doctor thinks that more tests are needed to identify the location and cause of the blockage in your arteries, he or she may refer you to an interventional radiologist, or IRA. With an interventional radiologist, the blocked arteries will be examined using a variety of different imaging techniques. A dye will be injected into the area, which will then allow images from the dye's interaction with the body's blood vessels to be viewed. Depending upon the results of the dye's analysis, your doctor might recommend a number of different treatments.

A surgical procedure called arthroscopy may be recommended by your doctor if the blockages are located in your smaller or thicker arteries. In this procedure, your physician will remove the blocked portion of your arteries. With this type of procedure, the surgeon will use a thin tube to guide a light through the blocked section of your arteries. He or she will then inject the area with a special solution that will break up and dissolve the clogged blood vessels.

Your doctor might recommend a number of different things when it comes to treatment of your coronary artery disease. However, no matter what he or she decides to do, you can at least count on the fact that you are going to get the treatment that you need. There are many different kinds of angiography available, which will allow you to see what is wrong with your heart without having to undergo a complicated and potentially unnecessary surgery. In addition to seeing what kind of problems are involved in your blood vessels, an angiographic can also tell you if you have high cholesterol or not. Your doctor might also be able to offer you ways to prevent heart disease or cholesterol from occurring.