What is a coronary angiogram?

What is a coronary angiogram? Coronary angiography is a safe and effective method for treating heart disease. Specifically, it refers to the use of cardiac catheter technology to place the angiography catheter at the opening of the coronary artery, and then inject the contrast agent directly into the coronary artery, thereby clearly and dynamically displaying the location, degree, nature, etc. of the coronary artery stenosis. Because of its safety, patients don't have to worry.

Who needs coronary angiography?

If the patient has typical exertional chest pain symptoms and non-invasive examination confirms myocardial ischemia, coronary angiography can clarify the coronary artery lesions and their extent, understand the function of the left ventricle, and provide a scientific basis for the next step of drug, interventional or surgical treatment.

If the patient does not have typical exertional chest pain but has atypical symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations, it is necessary to determine whether he or she has coronary heart disease and coronary angiography should also be performed.

Patients with acute myocardial infarction should also undergo coronary angiography as soon as possible to open blocked blood vessels, save dying myocardium, reduce the extent of myocardial necrosis, and save lives.

Patients with risk factors for coronary heart disease such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking, family history of premature cardiovascular disease, and patients with atypical symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations, and patients whose non-invasive examinations cannot confirm the diagnosis of coronary heart disease, should actively undergo coronary angiography.

Patients with unexplained heart enlargement, heart failure, and arrhythmia should also undergo coronary angiography to clarify the cause and rule out the possibility of coronary heart disease.

Patients without coronary artery disease need to understand the condition of their coronary arteries before undergoing cardiac surgery to determine whether a bypass surgery is required at the same time. Some patients also need to undergo coronary angiography before major non-cardiac surgery to understand the condition of their coronary arteries and ensure the safety of the surgery.