What is Coronary Angiography?
Coronary angiography is an interventional diagnosis method and not a type of surgery. Coronary angiography is the process of injecting a special dye into the heart vessels and taking images using an imaging system. Coronary angiography is performed in advanced laboratories with angiography device and trained-experienced cardiologist and health personnel. The patient does not need to be put to sleep for the procedure, the patient is awake and can talk during the procedure.
In people with chest pain that is a risk factor and suggestive of coronary artery disease:
- In those who have had a heart attack,
- Those who have had coronary intervention (balloon-stent) or coronary artery surgery before and who have recurrent chest pain,
- In survivors of sudden death,
- In people who will have heart surgery (heart valve) other than coronary artery disease,
- In people who will have non-cardiovascular (artery) surgery,
- In those with serious life-threatening rhythm disorders,
- In risky people with abnormalities in non-invasive tests (ECG, echocardiography or exercise ECG), coronary angiography should be used to visualize the heart vessels.
***The patient must be hungry on the day of the procedure. Both groin areas should be shaved. He should consult his doctor about whether to take the drugs he is using.
***In our angiography unit, angiography is performed on an average of 300 patients per month.