Should I have an angiogram?

[momavos]

Hello,
I am hoping you can help me in deciding if I should get an angiogram.   I found out recently my EKG is abnormal.  My internal medicine doctor said it is a conductivity problem that usually requires a pacemaker as you get older.  However, he doesn't think that is a problem at this time.   I get chest pains that come and go.  I ask to see a cardiologist and he gave me a stress test.  He said it was OK.  I continue to get the chest pains.  He wants to give me an angiogram since I have been told even though the Stress  test was OK I didn't walk long enough.  I only walked for 5 mins.  I am very worried about the angiogram and any negative effects that could result from having it.  I am in my late 40's and probably in perimenopause.   I am also prone to anxiety and don't handle stress very well.  

I am not sure how much experience the doctor has with this procedure.  I hope you can help me decide my best option.

Thanks in advance

[momavos]

Thanks for the reassurance.  The day I went to see the cardiologist for the 3 rd time he had another doctor covering for him.   He told me the doctor who will do the procedure does 10 to 15 a week.  Thanks again.

[Flycaster305]

I agree with the other posters.  I've had more angiograms than I have fingers to count with, and they are always minimally invasive.  The best news will be that they don't see any blockages, but you also will have a baseline to compare if you have issues in the future.
The drugs to calm you down work very well, I agree, be sure and ask for them.  There can be discomfort after the test as you have to stay still for about 5 hours, something not easy to do as you will be goofy.  You won't remember much about the procedure the next day.  
I'd suggest you quit googling about angiogram problems.  They are few and far between

[ed34]

Try to think about how many they do every day of each year. My hospital has about 20 patients each day in the waiting area. I've had 10 stents now, and never suffered any problems. However, the first time is frightening and I was scared stiff. I was so nervous that I was shivering violently on the table. You can ask the cardiologist to give you some meds to help calm you down, and believe me they work. After my first angiogram I was asking for more blankets too, it gets cold in that room. Also, ensure you empty your bladder about 5 mins before the procedure. With all that dye in your blood, your kidneys start to work overtime. One thing I can promise you is that you only feel one slight discomfort. This is when they put the anaesthetic into your inner thigh. This stings a little bit but is not overwhelming. You then seem to wait to see if you feel them make the incision, but you suddenly realise they are already inside and up to the heart. You may get anxious at times because of two effects if they pump a high volume of dye in, to check the ventricles and aorta. You can suddenly get a very warm sensation inside your body but remember from me 'this is normal'. You will know what I mean when you experience it. You may also feel a bit heavy chested at time, finding breathing a bit more difficult. Again, this is normal. These situations pass within 10 seconds and if you don't expect them, or aren't warned about them, they make you panic. You are supposed to stay awake, but sometimes I've closed my eyes and pictured myself on a beach. Then I'm woken up when they are removing the blankets. I would rather have 1000 of these compared to the bypass surgery I had because the discomfort is so minimal and recovery is quick. If you have any questions, please ask, it's better than expecting the worse :)

[momavos]

Thank you very much for your response.  I googled angiogram to get an idea of what is involved.  The things that can go wrong really scare me.  However, I will trust God.  

[Vehicular]

Get the angiogram.  I have had five since 1990.  My EKG was normal as even the longer Holter Monitor EKG.  Only my pulse was higher during the night hours.  I had been experiencing pain as if it were in my stomach.  However, months later I had a heart attack that was massive.  Remember and EKG only shows that a change has already occurred in the heart.  It tells you nothing about a build up in the crucial arteries of plaque.  Therefore the blockages in the arteries had gone undetected, created clots , and damaged the heart muscle forever by deprivation of oxygen.  That is permanent.  I was anxious too, but when you have a heart attack, if your survive, you face angiograms and bypass surgery with a weakened heart.  You do want someone who doest the procedure frequently in a facility that does them frequently.  Mine were done at Columbia Presbyterian in NYC.  My first was a 55.  Worry is stress. My good news angiogram years later showed that bypass , control of stress, diet, exercise, and belief in a higher power created new vessels (colaterals) to