What is an Angiogram? Tyldesley

Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest health problems in the UK today, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and a range of other complications. Angiograms are used to assess the health of the blood vessels and the heart, so that preventative action, such as surgery, can be taken.

An angiogram uses a dye to make the blood visible on x-ray images as it flows through the major blood vessels and the heart. It can show where the flow of blood is impeded by blockages or narrowing of the vessels, and can also show how effectively the heart is pumping the blood, and how well the valves are working.

Reasons for an angiogram

If your GP is concerned about the health of your heart and circulation, he/she will refer you to a specialist who will conduct a series of tests. These include:

• Blood and urine tests – to check for the presence of certain chemicals that illustrate the health of the heart
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) – to check the electrical activity of the heart. This produces the ‘heart trace’ that you will be familiar with, along with lots of other data
• Echocardiogram – to show the pumping action of the heart and its valves

If any of these shows a cause for concern you will be asked to go in to hospital for an angiogram to get a more accurate picture of what’s going on in your heart and blood vessels...

Profile of the Author: This article is written by Jackie Griffiths , a freelance journalist who writes health, medical, biological, and pharmaceutical articles for national and international journals, newsletters and web sites.

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