An angiogram is a diagnostic X-ray that allows your cardiologist to peer inside your blood vessels to determine their health. Your cardiologist doesn’t usually prescribe an angiogram until you’ve undergone other tests, such as:
You may need an angiogram if other, less invasive tests are inconclusive. We may also order an angiogram if other tests suggest that you have blockage of or narrowing in your arteries.
At Texas Heart and Vein Multispecialty Group, our board-certified cardiac surgeon Jon-Cecil (JC) Walkes, MD, recommends angiograms to determine where the blockages occur in your circulatory system. Once he determines the health of your arteries, he customizes a treatment plan at one of our offices in the Houston, Texas, area.
Are you scheduled for an angiogram? Here’s what you can expect.
Unlike a noninvasive test, such as a computed tomography (CT) scan, you must plan ahead before your angiogram. We recommend that you:
If you’re on medications for diabetes or other conditions, please follow our recommendations precisely. You may be able to continue to take some medications but will need to abstain from others.
You should also arrange for a ride home after your test. The sedative or anesthesia we give you makes you sleepy, so it’s not safe for you to operate a moving vehicle or any other type of equipment.
Finally, you come to our office the day before your procedure. We then administer a series of blood tests to be sure you’re healthy enough for your angiogram.
On test day, you meet us at the hospital. You change into a hospital gown. We then discuss the procedure with you, so that you can ask any questions you want.
While you rest on the table, we apply an antiseptic to your arm and insert an intravenous (IV) line into one of your veins. We administer the anesthesia through this IV. We also keep you hydrated with fluids through the IV during the procedure.
Next, we clean an area of your thigh, groin, or upper arm and insert a catheter, which is a thin, hollow tube, into an artery. We guide the catheter through the artery until we reach the place we want to investigate, such as your:
We then inject a special radioactive dye through the catheter so we can watch the blood circulate throughout your arteries. We monitor the progress of the dye on an X-ray. The dye helps us identify:
An angiogram can take as little as 15 minutes. However, depending on what we find and how many areas we need to evaluate, it could take up to several hours.
Once your tests conclude, we gently remove the catheter and IV line. If you received general anesthesia, you will be sleepy for some time after your angiogram. Even if you opted for an injectable sedative, you will be too drowsy to drive or get home on your own.
Take it easy for the next few days. Don’t bend over or lift anything that weighs more than 10 pounds for 48 hours after the test. If you don’t stay in the hospital overnight, be sure to have a responsible, adult friend or family member stay with you in your home, in case you have a post-procedure reaction.
If you take metformin, refrain from that medication for at least 48 hours post-angiogram. Also be sure to drink plenty of water to flush the contrast dye from your system.
Do you need an angiogram? Reach out to our team today by phone or message for an appointment at the office nearest you. We service Greater Heights, Pearland Market, League City, Lake Jackson, Manvel, Rosharen, Alvin, Fresno, Missouri City, Arcola, Friendswood, South Houston, Kingwood Market, Humble, New Chaney, Atasciacita, and Northeast Houston, Texas.
