You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
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This decision aid is for people who have coronary artery disease and stable angina. This means that your angina symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure, happen at times you can predict. They happen when your heart is working hard, such as during exercise. Your symptoms go away when you rest or after you take nitroglycerin.
A coronary angiogram is an X-ray test that takes pictures of the blood flow through your
During the test, a thin tube called a catheter is placed in an artery of your wrist or groin. It's then gently threaded up into your heart. A dye is put through the catheter. The dye helps your doctor see the arteries on the X-ray.
Before the test, you may get medicine that relaxes you or puts you in a light sleep. The area being worked on will be numb. You may feel a brief sting or pinch from the numbing medicine. You may feel some pressure when the doctor puts in the catheter. You will probably feel some warmth when the dye is put in.
The procedure will take about 1 to 3 hours. You may be able to go home later the same day. Some people need to stay in the hospital overnight. You will need to avoid strenuous activity until your doctor says it is okay. This may be for several days.
Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque (say "plak") build up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. When plaque builds up, it can narrow the arteries. This may limit how much blood can get to your heart muscle. If the plaque breaks apart, a blood clot could cause a heart attack.
Narrowing of the arteries can lead to symptoms of
Treatment of coronary artery disease helps relieve symptoms. It also can slow how quickly the disease gets worse and can prevent a heart attack. Treatments include medicines, a heart-healthy lifestyle,
An angiogram can help you and your doctor decide what treatment is best for you.
You may decide to have an angiogram because:
It's important to talk with your doctor about your angina symptoms. Do your symptoms limit your daily activities and make it hard to enjoy your life? Do you have angina during light physical activity, such as walking a couple of blocks or up stairs? Also, if you are taking medicine for angina, let your doctor know if it doesn't control your symptoms enough. Your doctor may change your dose or suggest a different medicine.
Having the test doesn't mean that you will have an angioplasty or bypass surgery.
But, if during the angiogram the doctor sees that your arteries are narrowed, angioplasty could be done right away. So before you have an angiogram, talk with your doctor about a possible angioplasty. During the test, you may not be able to decide about more treatment, because you might be sleepy from medicines.
An angiogram isn't right for everyone.
Most people do not have problems during or after an angiogram.
Heart attack and stroke happen rarely, but they can be life-threatening. They are more likely to occur in older people or people who have health conditions that raise the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Other problems that can happen during or soon after an angiogram include:
Certain health conditions can raise your risk of having problems after angioplasty. Conditions that can raise the risk of death from the procedure include heart failure, heart valve problems, and chronic kidney disease. The risk of heart attack may be higher if you have heart disease in the left main coronary artery.
Having these conditions doesn't mean that you will have a problem from the procedure. You and your doctor can talk about whether your risk of a problem is higher than average.
There is always a slight risk of damage to cells or tissues from being exposed to any radiation. This includes the low levels of X-ray used for this test.
Ask your doctor about your risk of radiation from this test. Talk about whether you feel the benefits of the test might outweigh the risks.
The benefits of an angiogram aren't the kinds of things that can be directly measured by numbers. The main reason to think about having the test is that it can help you and your doctor make better decisions about whether and how to treat your heart disease.
Fewer than 1 out of 100 people have a stroke, bleed heavily, or die soon after a coronary angiogram.
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What are the risks and side effects? |
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These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
My heart medicine just isn't working as well as it used to. Although my angina is stable, I am not feeling as well as I'd like to. I want to have the energy to play with my grandkids and the confidence to take the vacations my wife and I always planned. I've decided to have an angiogram so that my wife, my doctor, and I can make a decision about whether there may be something else that can help me.
Julian, age 68
I've been taking medicines for my angina, but my symptoms are still bothering me on my walks every day. My doctor said that an angiogram could show if an angioplasty could help me feel better. But she also said I could try a different angina medicine first and see if that helped. So I'm going to do that. I can still have the test later.
Reynaldo, age 75
My chest pain is getting so bad that I can't do my gardening. And that's my favorite thing to do. So when my doctor recommended an angiogram, I was all for it. I decided I would rather have the test and then decide whether I want to get a stent.
Mabel, age 60
I was getting chest pain after I walked a few blocks, or even less if it was cold out. I thought it was just my lungs, but when I saw my doctor, he said he thought it was my heart. So I took a treadmill test. Based on my results, my doctor thought I probably had some narrowing in my heart arteries. But he said it didn't seem too bad. We decided to try some medicine to see if that helps instead of having that test where they put dye in your arteries. I have been doing well and almost never get chest pain anymore.
Jean, age 62
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to have an angiogram
Reasons not to have an angiogram
My angina is affecting my quality of life.
I'm able to control my angina with medicines.
I want the choice of having angioplasty or surgery.
I already know that I don't want angioplasty or bypass surgery.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Having an angiogram
NOT having an angiogram
Check the facts
Decide what's next
Certainty
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Author | |
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Clinical Review Board | All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals. |
This decision aid is for people who have coronary artery disease and stable angina. This means that your angina symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure, happen at times you can predict. They happen when your heart is working hard, such as during exercise. Your symptoms go away when you rest or after you take nitroglycerin.
A coronary angiogram is an X-ray test that takes pictures of the blood flow through your
During the test, a thin tube called a catheter is placed in an artery of your wrist or groin. It's then gently threaded up into your heart. A dye is put through the catheter. The dye helps your doctor see the arteries on the X-ray.
Before the test, you may get medicine that relaxes you or puts you in a light sleep. The area being worked on will be numb. You may feel a brief sting or pinch from the numbing medicine. You may feel some pressure when the doctor puts in the catheter. You will probably feel some warmth when the dye is put in.
The procedure will take about 1 to 3 hours. You may be able to go home later the same day. Some people need to stay in the hospital overnight. You will need to avoid strenuous activity until your doctor says it is okay. This may be for several days.
Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque (say "plak") build up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. When plaque builds up, it can narrow the arteries. This may limit how much blood can get to your heart muscle. If the plaque breaks apart, a blood clot could cause a heart attack.
Narrowing of the arteries can lead to symptoms of
Treatment of coronary artery disease helps relieve symptoms. It also can slow how quickly the disease gets worse and can prevent a heart attack. Treatments include medicines, a heart-healthy lifestyle,
An angiogram can help you and your doctor decide what treatment is best for you.
You may decide to have an angiogram because:
It's important to talk with your doctor about your angina symptoms. Do your symptoms limit your daily activities and make it hard to enjoy your life? Do you have angina during light physical activity, such as walking a couple of blocks or up stairs? Also, if you are taking medicine for angina, let your doctor know if it doesn't control your symptoms enough. Your doctor may change your dose or suggest a different medicine.
Having the test doesn't mean that you will have an angioplasty or bypass surgery.
But, if during the angiogram the doctor sees that your arteries are narrowed, angioplasty could be done right away. So before you have an angiogram, talk with your doctor about a possible angioplasty. During the test, you may not be able to decide about more treatment, because you might be sleepy from medicines.
An angiogram isn't right for everyone.
Most people do not have problems during or after an angiogram.
Heart attack and stroke happen rarely, but they can be life-threatening. They are more likely to occur in older people or people who have health conditions that raise the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Other problems that can happen during or soon after an angiogram include:
Certain health conditions can raise your risk of having problems after angioplasty. Conditions that can raise the risk of death from the procedure include heart failure, heart valve problems, and chronic kidney disease. The risk of heart attack may be higher if you have heart disease in the left main coronary artery.
Having these conditions doesn't mean that you will have a problem from the procedure. You and your doctor can talk about whether your risk of a problem is higher than average.
There is always a slight risk of damage to cells or tissues from being exposed to any radiation. This includes the low levels of X-ray used for this test.
Ask your doctor about your risk of radiation from this test. Talk about whether you feel the benefits of the test might outweigh the risks.
The benefits of an angiogram aren't the kinds of things that can be directly measured by numbers. The main reason to think about having the test is that it can help you and your doctor make better decisions about whether and how to treat your heart disease.
Fewer than 1 out of 100 people have a stroke, bleed heavily, or die soon after a coronary angiogram.
Have an angiogram | Don't have an angiogram | |
---|---|---|
What is usually involved? |
|
|
What are the benefits? |
|
|
What are the risks and side effects? |
|
|
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"My heart medicine just isn't working as well as it used to. Although my angina is stable, I am not feeling as well as I'd like to. I want to have the energy to play with my grandkids and the confidence to take the vacations my wife and I always planned. I've decided to have an angiogram so that my wife, my doctor, and I can make a decision about whether there may be something else that can help me."
— Julian, age 68
"I've been taking medicines for my angina, but my symptoms are still bothering me on my walks every day. My doctor said that an angiogram could show if an angioplasty could help me feel better. But she also said I could try a different angina medicine first and see if that helped. So I'm going to do that. I can still have the test later."
— Reynaldo, age 75
"My chest pain is getting so bad that I can't do my gardening. And that's my favorite thing to do. So when my doctor recommended an angiogram, I was all for it. I decided I would rather have the test and then decide whether I want to get a stent."
— Mabel, age 60
"I was getting chest pain after I walked a few blocks, or even less if it was cold out. I thought it was just my lungs, but when I saw my doctor, he said he thought it was my heart. So I took a treadmill test. Based on my results, my doctor thought I probably had some narrowing in my heart arteries. But he said it didn't seem too bad. We decided to try some medicine to see if that helps instead of having that test where they put dye in your arteries. I have been doing well and almost never get chest pain anymore."
— Jean, age 62
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to have an angiogram
Reasons not to have an angiogram
My angina is affecting my quality of life.
I'm able to control my angina with medicines.
I want the choice of having angioplasty or surgery.
I already know that I don't want angioplasty or bypass surgery.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Having an angiogram
NOT having an angiogram
1. An angiogram can help me and my doctor decide which treatment is best for my heart disease.
2. I may not need an angiogram if I can control my angina symptoms with medicines and I'm otherwise healthy.
3. An angiogram can tell if I'm going to have a heart attack.
1. Do you understand the options available to you?
2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
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Clinical Review Board | All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals. |
Current as of: July 31, 2024
Author:
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
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