An angiogram (CT or cath) test examines the coronary arteries for any blockage. Blocked coronary ateries compromise the blood flow to the heart tissues. A lack of blood flow to the heart cells causes chest pains. If there are blockages, a stent implant (usually done at time of angiogram) will increase the diameter of the occlusion/occlusions permitting more blood to the deficit area. Sometimes the area of blockage can not be stented because of location, tortuous segment, too long, etc...
The first letter of the main coronary arteries designate whether left or right. Such as LCX left circumflex LAD left anterior descending RCA right coronary artery. It would be better to look at a diagram rather than explain it, here's an example for you....
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.timmcmurry.com/files/coronary_arteries.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.timmcmurry.com/CVRU_pages/CVRU_Employees.
It is important to note that calcification of the coronary arteries is part of the aging process, and all people develop calcium with age. For example, one study looked at calcium scores and coronary arteries using angiography. Almost all patients (95%) less than 40 years old with calcium score of less than 8 had no significant narrowing of the arteries. In patients over 70 years old, this number was much higher.
Do you think it is a true statement that “Over 70% of all heart attacks result from occlusions or narrowings of coronary arteries 50% or less in size? If that is true, then what is the point of stenting a coronary artery that gets narrowed 70% or more when a smaller narrowing will likely kill you? I would let the large blockages go and stent the little ones. Voila!!!
The heart is supplied by oxygen rich blood through three coronary arteries (vessels).
Your father's coronary angiogram shows that all three vessels are diseased (tVCAD= triple vessel Coronary Artery Disease).
This means that in all three vessels there is evidence of blockages.
Blockages can be mild or severe or even complete, so the fact that your father has tVCAD dooes not say much about the severity of the disease.
That he does not feel well could mean that it is serious though.
ve finally found a problem as a result of paying for a CT Coronary Angiogram. All I know right now is that I have a narrowing of the left main artery but I don't know the extent or the cause. I am now waiting to have a standard angiogram but I am supposed to be flying to the US from the UK in 3 weeks. Has anyone flown soon after an angiogram? How about after a stent? Appreciate your thoughts.
A reduced coronary flow reserve has been reported in patients with ischemia like symptoms and normal coronary arteries (no occlusions). The bases can be flow velocity, left ventricle muscle mass, diabetes, hypertension, etc.
There is mild left ventricle pumping dysfunction due to akinesis (damaged heart cells) in the area given (septum...wall that separates heart chambers). Pumping dysfunction is very slight as normal EF is 55 to 75%.
However, evidence has recently accumulated suggesting that many of these women have pathology in the small coronary arteries. Now evidence has been presented from the Women's Ischemia Syndrome.
Evaluation study showing that many women with Cardiac Syndrome X have objective findings on a test called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS,) that demonstrate that they have true ischemia - oxygen starvation in the cardiac muscle - despite having "normal" large coronary arteries.
I have diabetes well controlled by januvia. I take welchol as i developed rhabdomyolysis with vytorin. I had been also on plavix.
1. Is stenting the subclavian a frequent procedure?
2. How long will this stent stay in place?
3. If there is blocking again in the future of this stent what are the options?
Different people have different layouts of coronary arteries. Sounds strange I know, but there are different groups people are put into, depending which of their arteries are dominant or co-dominant or non-dominant. I for example am Co-dominant where the left and right arteries share equal amounts of the heart, supplying it with oxygen. Some are left dominant where the LAD and LCX supply most of the back of the heart. Some are right dominant where the RCA does this job.
Your comment relates to the etiology of cells and pathogenesis, I am on the subject of cross sectional nature of CT imaging that enables characterization of coronary lessions according to their attenuation characteristics as calcification, non-calcification or mixed plaque. Also, the composition has dynamic characteristics.
It is true that 64 slice is older technology and a more inherit risk to over exposure. The point is it has be around for awhile!
I got ' t wave inversion ' in resting ECG. Treadmill Test shows " ST changes " Doctor suggested Angiogram. So I underwent Angiogram in my forearm. Result is " normal coronary arteries ". Dr prescribed tablet "RANTAC " for one month.
The doctors will be performing an angiogram to look to see if you have blockages in your coronary arteries (the arteries which supply blood to the heart) which are the cause of your slightly low ejection fraction and wall motion abnormality (which means that part of your heart isn't beating a vigorously as your would like).
It is a simple procedure in which the doctors will pass catheters either from the arm or leg into the heart.
I too have been diagnosed with severe coronary artery spasms where ALL of my arteries spasm (Mayo Clinic, MN). Been medicating since 2004. I have an coronary artery anomaly going on with my heart, so are missing major arteries (such as the left coronary) and have "Baby" arteries and veins. For the past 4 years, not only have I been dealing with the coronary arteries, but also with Cerebral (brain) artery spasms (strokes)!!! If anyone knows of new research out there, I am game to try!
Just to clarify, the Aorta is the largest artery in the body which comes out the left side of the heart. It is the vessel used to supply blood to the whole of the body. The coronary arteries connect directly to this. I'm assuming you mean that the left main artery (coronary) is 60% blocked where it joins the Aorta?
If this is the case, then I would question the Angioplasty and want to know how many patients they have treated in that area.
- Is it typically an interventional cardiologist that does the initial cath and angiogram of lower extremities and legs in the process of treating peripheral artery disease that causes leg or calf cramping? I've had an ultra sound evaluation and the pain of claudication when exercising indicates I have it.
This test shows how well blood flows into the heart muscle and can detect narrowing of the coronary arteries (coronary artery disease). Appropriate for vessel occlusions...ischemia that may cause angina (chest pain).
I recently had a CT angiogram (64 slice), and my insurance paid without prior approval. My insurance is correlated to medicare coverage and having prior heart issues may be a consideration.
It gives the best information about the condition of the coronary arteries (x-ray images from different directions but also arterial pressure drop in case of stenosis, etc.
It also allows for direct therapy (ballooning, stenting).
For most cardiologists an angiogram is a routine examination with little risk. Complications occur in about 1%. Most of them are bleeding issues after the procedure and are normally easy solved.
The results clearly show a lot of plaque in the Coronary Arteries. The Left Anterior descending and Right Coronary arteries are the worst (LAD/RCA).
The Right coronary Artery has opened some vessels to act as a bridge, a natural bypass to partially feed blood past the blockage at the top, but also some vessels have opened up lower down, getting their feed from the left side. The LAD is severely diseased at the top, so I'm guessing the collaterals are being fed from the Circumflex.
I had quadruple bypass surgery in Sept 08. I have diabetes also. Yesterday I had an angiogram and was told that 2 of the arteries are 100% blocked. My cardiologists doesn't want to see me for 6 months, is this normal procedure.
Every medical test has false negatives because neither humans nor machines operate with 100% accuracy. However you are in very serious jeopardy whenever you receive a false negative result on a Cardiolite stress tests. That's because of an astonishing fact about cardiologists in the U.
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