Angiogram or angioplasty???

sudzs

A male relative was at a chest pain clinic the other day and after all the tests and the consultation he came out with a prescription and a place on the public waiting list for an angiogram.

But now we're not sure if it is an angiogram or angioplasty he'll be going in for! Long stressful day so he can't recall exactly which word wwas used!

Hoping someone here wil know from this... he was told it is invasive and it will take around 6 hours to recover from it. Can't quite remember the figure but around one patiend per year dies while undergoing the procedure.

So does that sound like an angiogram or angioplasty?

Sorry that's a bit sketchy, if I can come up with anymore detail I'll post it!

Any input appreciated! Thanks!

Vorsprung

Hi there

Your relative will behaving an angiogram first. Basically this involves putting a small tube into one of the arteries in the leg and putting through another tube that goes all the way up through the arteries into the vessels that supply the heart (coronary arteries). The cardiologist then puts some dye into the coronaries through that tube to see if they're blocked or narrowed - that could be causing the chest pain. That's the angiogram bit. If they are narrowed, they might decide to pass a balloon through the narrowing and inflate it, relieving the narrowing - that's the angioplasty bit. They could also use stents to keep that narrowing open, they're like lits bits of scaffolding. I'm sure there's a few pics on Google Images.

Hope that helps!

sudzs

That's great thanks! So would the 6 hour recovery time relate to just the angiogram?? Or would that be if they went ahead there and then with the angioplasty?

breadman

I have an angiogram appt. next week,they say i have to have a blood test a week before it, but i had one a few weeks ago, is it still necessary ?

Vorsprung

breadman wrote: »

I have an angiogram appt. next week,they say i have to have a blood test a week before it, but i had one a few weeks ago, is it still necessary ?

You really think asking randomers on the Internet is the best way to answer this question?!

The mind boggles.

Thread closed for asking medical advice/dragging up a zombie thread.

Please read the charter and consult common sense before posting again.