Elective Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty

An elective Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty is done to diagnose and to treat the conditions related to heart and blood vessels. It is recommended if the patient complains about chest pain, discomfort or pain in jaw, neck and arms, sudden episodes of chest pain, abnormal results in heart stress tests, a heart valve problem, congenital heart disease. The elective angiography and angioplasty serve as preventive measures to save the heart from an impending heart attack or a stroke.

The Coronary Angiogram procedure is aided by an x-ray machine and a dye gets inserted into the blood vessels. The x-ray machine then takes the imaging of blood vessels and the expert would be able to view clogged arteries, if any. These images are called angiograms.

If the expert diagnoses clogged arteries, then an angioplasty would follow the angiogram. Angioplasty or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention is done under the local anaesthesia, in which a catheter gets inserted into the main artery through the thigh or arm. The balloon passed over the wire through the catheter then gets inflated opening the artery after which a medicated metal stent gets placed facilitating blood flow. The stent thus becomes the permanent part in the body and reduces the risk for further cardiac events.