If your cardiologist has recommended angiography, you may be wondering what actually happens during the procedure. Is it painful, and what happens if the doctor detects a blockage?
Here is the simple answer to all your queries:
Angiography is an imaging procedure used to see how blood is flowing through your blood vessels. It uses a special dye (contrast material) and X-rays to see how blood flows through the arteries in your heart.
Then the final images (angiogram) show whether an artery is narrowed, blocked, or otherwise abnormal. When the heart’s arteries are being examined, the procedure is known as coronary angiography, and it is often performed as part of cardiac catheterization.
If a blockage is detected, the following things can happen:
- The doctor may only monitor the blockage
- Angioplasty (a minimally invasive procedure that opens arteries to let blood flow more easily) may be performed
- A stent may be placed
- Bypass surgery may be recommended
Quick Overview: Angiography
Read the table below to find the answer to common queries about angiography.
| What you may want to know | Typical answer |
| What is it used for? | To examine blood flow and identify narrowed or blocked blood vessels. |
| How is it performed? | A catheter and contrast dye are commonly used. |
| Are you awake? | Usually, although sedation may help you relax. |
| How long does it take? | Often 30–60 minutes, but it can take longer. |
| Is it painful? | Usually only mild discomfort or pressure. |
| Can treatment happen at the same time? | Sometimes, including angioplasty and stent placement. |
| When can you go home? | Many people go home the same day or the next day. |
Why Angiography Is Used
It helps doctors to diagnose or investigate several conditions that affect blood vessels, including:
Atherosclerosis
A hardening of the arteries from plaque building up gradually inside them.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
Arteries in the legs, pelvic area, or arms get narrowed or blocked, usually because of plaque buildup.
A Brain Aneurysm
A bulge in a weak area of a blood vessel in or around the brain. The constant pressure of blood flow pushes the weakened section outward. This creates a blister-like bump.
Angina
It is a type of chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart.
Blood Clots or a Pulmonary Embolism
A blockage in the artery supplying the lungs.
What Happens During an Angiography? Step-by-Step Procedure
Here is the sequence of events that you can expect during angiography.
Step 1: Preparing for the Procedure
Before angiography, your doctor will review your medical history, current medicines, and any kind of allergies.
They may order blood tests to check things such as kidney function and blood clotting.
Follow the instructions of your doctor on what to eat, drink, and take as medication.
Do not stop blood thinners or other prescription medicines without consulting your doctor.
Step 2: Procedure Room
Angiography is usually performed in a specialized X-ray or catheterization laboratory.
During the procedure, your provider will:
- Numb the area where the catheter will go.
- Access your blood vessel with a needle and thread a wire via the needle.
- Slide a long, slender tube known as a catheter over the needle and into a large artery (usually the wrist or groin).
- Slowly and carefully thread the catheter through your artery until the tip of the catheter reaches the part of the blood vessel they want to examine.
- Inject a small amount of contrast material (dye) via the catheter into your blood vessel segment.
- For a few moments, this may make you feel flushed or like you want to pee.
- Take X-rays.
- Watch where the contrast agent goes on the X-ray monitor. This helps doctors see where and how well blood is moving in your blood vessels.
Step 3: Taking the X-Ray Images
The X-ray equipment captures a series of images as the contrast material moves through the blood vessels.
The doctor looks for:
- Narrowed arteries
- Complete blockages
- Abnormal blood flow
- Blood vessel damage
- Other abnormalities
In coronary angiography, these images help the doctor determine whether coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked and what the extent of the problem is.
What happens if a blockage is found?
If a blockage is detected, your doctor may recommend, based on your health condition and several other factors:
- Monitoring of the blockage
- Angioplasty (a treatment used to open a narrowed or blocked artery)
- A stent may be placed
- Bypass surgery may be recommended
Note: Angioplasty or stenting is not required for every blockage.
Step 4: Recovery
Your doctor checks your blood pressure, heart rhythm, oxygen level, and catheter insertion site.
You may have some:
- Bruising
- Mild soreness
- Tenderness
- A small lump near the insertion site
Many individuals can go home the same day or the following day, depending on the procedure, findings, and overall health.
Conclusion
An angiography can take as little as 15 minutes. But in some cases, it can take a few hours, depending on what procedures your provider does after they find the issue.
If your doctor detects a blockage, they may treat it immediately with an angioplasty, depending on your health condition. Angioplasty is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries due to coronary artery disease (CAD). This procedure uses a tiny balloon to force the blockage against your artery wall and restores blood flow to the heart muscle without open-heart surgery.
Possible complications of angiography include:
- Bleeding or bruising at the catheter site
- Infection
- Blood vessel injury
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Allergic reaction to contrast material
- Kidney problems related to contrast material
- Heart attack or stroke, which are uncommon but serious complications
However, by following your healthcare team’s instructions, you can lower the risk of complications and achieve long-term health benefits.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes. For right information about angiography, contact your cardiologist.
