Angiogram procedure through arm
Common Questions and Answers about Angiogram procedure through arm
angiogram
This Thursday, I am scheduled to have a second cath, this time a radial procedure--through the arm as I had complications with the last. I believe my cardiologist is simply doing this procedure to prove to me that my ongoing symptoms are not cardiac related. I am scared but feel I have no other options. Just for the record and at the urging of my family I did see a second cardiologist to review all of my records initial cath report.
You better check with your doctors, I am not sure about the potential damage due to the radiation dose that you will take during the procedure.
Also if they discover blockages in your coronaries, I do not know about the risk of the medication that you will need.
the cardiologist diagnosed me with stable angina and upped my atenolol dose and he order an angiogram procedure for me. i am very anxious and i can not handle that type of invasive procedure. he told me that i could be at risk of a heart attack and himself and the nurses were upset at me that i declined the cath procedure.
my question to you guys is..could my heart rate at 190 BMP have been svt or afib/flutter just mimicking ST elevation? can sinus tach get up to 190?
As an example, my nuclear scan showed excellent results, but I had already had an angiogram. My angiogram showed a completely blocked LAD and a blockage in my LCx. My right artery was also totally blocked halfway down. Collateral vessels played a huge role. The amount of radiation used is not that high and risks are low.
It is a very simple test where they pass a long very thin tube in through your arm or leg, to your heart. They then guide it to the left side and squirt a dye into the artery which is picked up by a scanner above the chest, giving images of your arteries. They then do the same on the right side. This is a test to see if you have any blockages in your arteries and the results are used to determine if you require no intervention, just medication, stents or bypass surgery.
An angiogram is a procedure that images a contrast agent that passes through the vessels during rest and then with exertion to observe if there is any obstruction. There shouldn't be any risk with a CT scan, and if the procedure is with a cath the risk may be a problem at the entery site (groan) as a diabetic may have some difficuty with the healing process other risks are minimal i.e. rupture, uncontrolled bleeding, etc. Doctors are quickly available if there is a problem.
I have just been scheduled for an angiogram and I'm scared to no end I have a 3 year old son I love to death same as my soon to be wife. I'm so scared something will go wrong during the surgery how coming are complications? Also my ej is 73 is this bad?
An angiogram can be performed with a cath (intervention with a probe through the leg vessel to the heart), or ct scan (best is a 128 slice) that views the blood flow (dye has been injected) through the coronary arteries.
There isn't a high risk with a cath, and it is not painful, but have an understanding with the doctor whether or not your father wants a stent implant if there is some blockage, and whether the stent(s) are drug coated or not (obtain an opinon what the doctor prefers).
An angiogram will help determine if you blockage(s). I first had the procedure done in 2005 and the doctor found an artery with 90% blockage. He put in a stent.
Hi Suzy,
I agree that an angio procedure through the wrist is often more painful. Once the procedure is done, the healing normally goes much quicker though.
The angiogram itself will not cause symptoms like edema or chest pains, but keep in mind that the angiogram is made because there is reason to believe that something is not perfect with your heart.
If the heart is not doing its work as it should, that can cause edema and chest pains.
I had quadruple bypass surgery 13 years ago( using the left internal mammary artery grafting to the left anterior descending coronary) and recently had been having increasing jaw pains and upper back pains ( no dizziness or fainting). I had all sorts of cardiac tests (short of angiogram) that showed within normal limits Ejection fraction was normal but still I had these increasing symptoms of jaw pain relieved by rest.
The only true test, which is a procedure, is the angiogram. My mom had the nuclear stress test and was told that it was not bad and a few months later she was totally plugged in two main arteries and about 99 percent plugged in the other. Have you had an echocardiogram yet? An echocardiogram can check the heart valves.
s assistant with coronary artery problems which have required several catheterizations in the past, just told me about his last angiogram in which they ran the catheter through the WRIST, via the radial artery. He said it was a piece of cake compared to his previous experiences. Here is more info about this procedure:
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/09/treating_heart_disease_through.
------------ Axial 0.5 mm thin CT scans were performed through the heart with ECG gating and 65 ml of intravenous non ionic contrast. Axial reconstructions were performed through RR interval. Systolic and diastolic volumes are studied. Three dimensional, multiplanar and curved reconstructions were performed through the coronary arteries are studied. Appropriate 3D images were made in to demonstrate the pathology. Report: --------- The coronary arterial calcium score is 533.
s not a normal reaction to an angiogram. Possibly it has nothing to do with the angiogram. It might be something more or less unrelated. It kind of sounds like a migraine type of thing, on the face it. It could even be some type of reaction to relief of stress. We think of stress as being able to cause physical symptoms, and it certainly can, but sometimes just a sudden offset of stress can cause a reaction in the body.
nuclear stress test 1 week ago showed restricted blood flow. Angiogram done. One of the grafts has backed up blood which is restricting flow. Doc said may get better with exercise or stent the original blocked artery which is a 5 yr old stent on right side that is 90% blocked. Unsure what to do grafts on left side are doing great. What do u think Bill S.
You will be given anti-anxiety meds before the procedure and will be largely out of it during the procedure. The difficult part is keeping your leg or arm still afterwards, they use arteries in either limb to gain access.
An angiogram will either rule in or out a problem. If there is no problem, you will have a baseline to compare if you have problems down the road. If you have a problem now it will be identified.
The procedure is not entirely risk free. In the right hands, it is a reasonably safe procedure, and is surprisingly easy to get through. Moreover, the benefit is usually finding out whether you need more work or not, something you no doubt need to do, and something which would normally easily justify the risks. When I did it, the doctor played music and cracked jokes. Didn't feel a thing. Bring a friend or family member for sure. Also, choose your doctor wisely.
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