Angiogram

How often do you see a diagnostic test providing treatment as well? Well, an angiogram is such a technology that can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic use. Admired by the best cardiologists, like Dr. Siva Kumar Reddy, angiogram has helped many heart patients to regain their health.

An angiogram is an imaging technique that shows if there is any blockage in a blood vessel near the heart. Regular X-rays cannot always pin the location of a blockage. So, a medical solution, which is visible to the X-ray, is inserted by a catheter and released in your artery. This helps in detecting the exact location of the blockage.

If required, the catheter may also be used to unblock the same blood vessel.

Like mentioned earlier, an angiogram can help diagnose a blockage in the heart and can also be used to treat the condition. Here are a few health ailment situations where an angiogram can be helpful:

• Severe chest pain indicating coronary artery disease
• Unexplained pain in chest, neck, arms or jaw where other diagnostic tests failed to reveal any ailment
• Suspected or diagnosed heart attack
• Abnormal results in other diagnostic tests where a closer look is required.
• During or prior to other heart surgeries

Unless you receive an angiogram in an emergency, you can do a couple of things to prepare for the event. Such as:

• Don’t eat or drink anything for 12 hours before an angiogram.
• Take any medication as prescribed by your cardiologist.
• If you are advised to not take medicines, do so.
• Wear comfortable clothing to the hospital as you will have to change into a robe.
• Avoid wearing any jewellery.

Before the angiogram, your change into hospital robes and your vitals are taken. You will be sedated (usually, local anaesthesia) through an IV line for the procedure. Near your groin, a small area is shaved and anesthetized through which a catheter (thin, medical tube) is inserted. The catheter is slowly moved inwards under careful observation until it reached the suspected blockage.

The catheter carries a dye. It is released in your blood vessel. The doctor observes (which is simultaneously stored digitally) the flow of the dye to locate the blockage. If a blockage is found, another catheter can be used to place a stent to reopen the artery or a balloon for balloon angioplasty.

The catheter(s) is removed. After the test, you will stay under observation until your sedation subsides or until you have received other forms of treatment for the blockage. In the meantime, the site of incision will be treated with pressure to prevent bleeding.

Before you are released you will receive instructions on how to recover fast, what to eat, and how to take your medicines.

An angiogram is not a simple diagnostic test. Unlike a traditional imaging technique, angiogram involves a degree of invasion. Naturally, it has to be performed by a medical expert only and not by an unqualified technician. Whether it’s for diagnosis or treatment, Dr Siva Kumar Reddy always performs or personally watches over when a patient requires an angiogram. Under his safe hands, an angiogram is just as safe as any non-invasive test.