Major Reasons To Get A Coronary Angiogram

Unexplained Pain In The Chest, Neck, Jaw, Or Arm

An emergent coronary angiogram may be performed on individuals who come to an emergency department with unexplained pain in their chest, neck,jaw, or arm. Unexplained pains in these areas can be indicative of a heart attack. Blood tests and a physical examination can help a physician eliminate other conditions that can cause this type of unexplained pain. An urgent coronary angiogram and angioplasty procedure are performed when a physician has a suspicion of a heart attack in the patient through physical examination, reported symptoms, and other diagnostic tests. If the urgent tests determine a heart attack is occurring due to the narrowing of a coronary artery, the physician will use specialized tools during the same procedure to widen the artery. This widening is typically accomplished with a catheter containing a deflated balloon on the end of it. The catheter and balloon are passed through a major artery in the pelvis to the affected coronary artery and is inflated to widen the narrowed artery. A stent is then placed in the artery to hold it open and restore blood flow.