Coronary Angiogram - "Angio"
A coronary angiogram looks closely at your coronary arteries to see if they are narrowed or blocked using X-ray dye.
What is a coronary angiogram?
Why do I need a coronary angiogram?
What are the risks of a coronary angiogram?
How do I prepare for a coronary angiogram?
What happens during a coronary angiogram?
What happens after a coronary angiogram?
What is a coronary angiogram?
A coronary angiogram is a procedure which looks closely at your coronary arteries to see if they are narrowed or blocked. It uses a special type of X-ray dye.
Why do I need a coronary angiogram?
Your doctor may recommend a coronary angiogram if you are suspected to have coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease occurs when the arteries that supply blood to your heart are built up with a fatty substance called plaque. This build up causes your arteries to become narrow and hard, meaning less blood is able to reach your heart. A coronary angiogram can also be used to look for other heart problems, such as heart valve disease.
Below, you can watch a short video from one of our doctors explaining more about a coronary angiogram.
Below, you can watch an animation explaining what happens during a coronary angiogram.
What are the risks of a coronary angiogram?
While serious risks are unlikely, there are some risks associated with a coronary angiogram procedure.
The most common risk for this procedure is bruising or swelling at the puncture site.
Uncommon risks can include:
- Allergic reaction to the X-ray dye and medications given during the procedure
- Heart attack or stroke
- Bleeding
- Infection - There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of infection. Read the Healthcare Associated Infections Consumer factsheet
- Abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias
- Injury to the artery
- Reduced kidney function
- Emergency heart surgery
- Death from this procedure is rare
Your doctor will explain all of the risks in detail before you agree to the surgery - and you’re also encouraged to discuss any questions or concerns with your medical team. Your doctor will ask you to sign a consent form to agree to have the procedure.
How do I prepare for a coronary angiogram?
You will prepare for your coronary angiogram by:
- Having a blood test - in the four weeks before your procedure
- Asking your doctor about taking your usual medications - especially if you take medication for diabetes or blood thinning medications. If you take SGLT2 medicine for diabetes, you will need to stop taking them at least 3 days before your surgery. Read our Patient Information Guide on SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes.
- Removing any jewellery - and putting on a hospital gown
What happens during a coronary angiogram?
Your coronary angiogram takes place in a hospital room that looks like an operating theatre. You’ll be taken to the procedure room and be asked to lie on a narrow table. You will be awake throughout the procedure, and before it begins your doctor may offer you sedation to help you relax. During the procedure your doctor will:
- Give you a local anaesthetic - to numb your wrist or groin
- Gently insert a catheter into an artery in your wrist or groin - and move it inside the artery up to your heart.
- Inject a dye into your arteries - you may feel a warm flush when this happens
- Take x-rays as the dye moves through the blood vessels - to clearly see where the arteries are narrowed or blocked
- Remove the catheter - and apply pressure to the site where it was inserted
You will be connected to a heart monitor for the duration of your coronary angiogram. The procedure takes less than hour.
What happens after a coronary angiogram?
Once your coronary angiogram is finished, your nurse will apply pressure to the area, followed by a dressing. You will be moved to the recovery area or to the ward to rest. You may be tender or sore and have some bruising at the site of the procedure - this should go away after two weeks. Based on what the coronary angiogram reveals, your doctor will decide if you need to stay overnight in the hospital and the best treatment for you.
You will need to organise for someone to pick you up you from the hospital afterwards and take you home. Once you return home, it is important to follow your doctor’s recommended lifestyle changes, and to visit your doctor or call an ambulance if you experience any serious symptoms.
For more information, please read our Care Advice Following Coronary Angiography and Stenting booklet (PDF 255.6KB).