Angiogram

• You must bring an interpreter with you if you do not speak English
• Please bring your current medications with you on the day of your test and your BC Services Card
• Remove all jewelry and nail polish. You may keep your glasses, hearing aid(s) and denture(s) on during the procedure
• Wear loose-fitting clothes and flat shoes
• We recommend you leave anything that is valuable at home as it is a very busy area

Please review the patient brochure that the clinic sends to you for further details.

Always bring a current list of your medications and the correct pill bottles each time you come to the hospital. If you have any questions, speak with your pharmacist. Your pharmacist is a good resource for more information.

You are not allowed to drive for the first 24 hours.

We strongly recommend you have someone come with you when you leave the hospital. As well, please make arrangements for someone to stay with you overnight after the angiogram. This is for your safety, as you may have received sedatives and in case you start bleeding. If you cannot arrange this, your procedure may have to be re-booked.

• You will go to the catheterization lab (cath lab) for the angiogram
• You'll lie on an x-ray table. The nurse will connect you to a heart monitor
• The nurse will clean the area chosen for the angiogram with a cleaning solution. Do not touch this area once it's cleaned
• The nurse will place a sterile (germ-free) drape over you to keep the area clean
• The cardiologist will inject a local anesthetic (freezing) into the groin area or wrist area (radial artery)
• Once the area is frozen, the cardiologist will insert a sheath (like a large IV) into the femoral artery (located in the groin area) or radial artery
• Through this sheath, the cardiologist will guide small catheters (wires) into the coronary arteries
• Small amounts of dye will be injected through these catheters to see the coronary arteries. It is normal to feel a warm sensation at this time
• Be prepared to hold your breath and give a deep cough if the cardiologist asks you
• It is normal to feel some mild discomfort during the angiogram. However, tell the cardiologist if you are not comfortable or having pain
• Once we have enough pictures of your coronary (heart) arteries, the cardiologist will remove the guide wires but leave the sheath in
• You will return to the recovery area

If needed, and you agree, your doctor may do a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) at the same time as the angiogram.

There are different types of PCI's that can be done individually or in combination. Two common procedures are balloon angioplasty and stenting.

Your cardiologist will discuss with you which PCI is best for you, depending on the angiogram results.

• The nursing team will monitor you carefully following this procedure
• You're encouraged to drink a lot of clear fluids to help clear the X-ray dye from your kidneys
• You may not eat until the nurse tells you it is okay. Eating too soon may cause complications such as bleeding
• It is normal to feel some discomfort after the angiogram. It's important to tell the nurse if you are not comfortable or having pain

Please see the Patient Guides below for complete information.

After the angiogram, the cardiologist will tell you what your angiogram showed. If you have normal coronary arteries, you may not need treatment.

If you have abnormal coronary arteries, there are four options for treatment:

1. Medications
2. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
3. Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) or a combination of the last three treatments may be necessary
4. No treatment

Your cardiologist will discuss with you which treatment is best for you.