Question about Angiogram for the heart

[cookie772]

Hi everyone:) I am new at this but I have a question if someone could help me. I am 37 year old female and I have had chest pains ongoing for a few months negative test the whole way. My doctor suggested an Angiogram to make sure that something is not being missed. I am a little nervous and thought someone could answer some questions I have?

1. Is this a fairly safe procedure?

2. What are the risks?

3. Do all the serious risk only happen during the procedure?

4. What are the risk 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after the procedure, meaning how long before you know you are out of the risk zone?

5. Is there any other testing that comes close to this one or is this the best one?

6. What are the odds of a healthy woman my age having any blockages?

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated... Sorry for the many questions just seems like a great place to get information.


Eve

[oldie]

I had an angiogram three weeks ago. Except for a minor pricking from the injection of painkiller at the top of the leg I felt nothing whatever, watched the arteries moving  on the screen and talked to the doctor while he was maneuvring around them.. As it happened, a stent was put in but again, I felt nothing. I was in truth a bit uncomfortable afterwards when the anesthetic (which is only given to avoid discomfort at the entry point) wore off  but I asked for a painkiller and calmed down.  Go ahead. Have no fear.

[ed34]

You could ask for a ct angiogram if you are worried, which is basically a non invasive scan.
However, to answer your questions, the angiogram is very safe as far as invasive procedures go. The biggest risks are stroke and heart attack, but for this to happen the cardiologist would basically have to disturb a chunk of blockage material in the arteries with his catheter wire.
It isn't really about odds, are you the likely or unlikely odd? It's about your symptoms and ruling out cardiac issues. As far as I'm aware, there are benefits to either a CT or standard angiogram. With a CT it picks up more vessels with greater detail, but just one image, giving a static view of your heart. In other words, you don't see the heart and arteries working. An angiogram is actually real time, you see the arteries with the heart beating. If you suffer from artery spasm then this is more likely to pick it up visually especially with a catheter in the vessel. The other advantage is that if they see a large blockage, then they could decide to stent it there and then, something which cannot be done obviously with a ct scan.