General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
Coronary angiography directly examines the arteries supplying the heart muscle. A catheter is brought to their openings to inject contrast and locate narrowing. It takes place in interventional cardiology, with images obtained using X-rays.
The diagnostic aim is to establish the number and location of narrowed areas. Coronary angiography may be followed by angioplasty with a stent, but the examination name alone does not mean this treatment will take place. Ask what is being considered for you.
Angioplasty widens a narrowed area with a balloon; a stent is a device left in the artery to keep it open. These revascularisation procedures differ from taking images. The cardiologist explains their role among treatment options in light of your assessment.
Before attending, ask the team about preparation instructions, the procedure and arrangements for your stay. Strasbourg University Hospitals describe coronary angiography in both day care and conventional inpatient care: the examination name alone does not establish that you will go home the same day.
If new or severe chest pain, or chest pain with faintness or nausea, occurs before the appointment, call 15 or 112 immediately in France. Do not wait for the scheduled coronary angiography to seek this urgent help.
Afterwards, ask the cardiologist to distinguish what was observed from what was treated. Clarify which results should reach the doctor following your care and the agreed next step. The number of narrowed areas alone is not a personal care plan.
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