Diagnostic Angiography
Specialist services available:
Angiography, Angioplasty and Stenting.
- Coronary
- Carotid / stroke intervention
- Peripheral / below knee arterial interventions
- Renal
The Team at Coastal Heart & Vascular Coronary Angiogram and Stenting Experience:
The Team at Coastal Heart & Vascular has been performing coronary angiography and stenting since 1995 from the simple to the most complex cases, and in the elective to the critically ill employing the latest techniques and technologies. The team has performed over 8000 angiograms and over 3000 coronary stenting procedures. Most cases are accessed via the radial (wrist) artery making for a more comfortable experience and earlier discharge (2 hours post-procedure in many cases).
What is a Coronary Angiogram?
A coronary angiogram, the most common type of heart catheter procedure, is an invasive investigation using X-ray imaging and Iodine based dye that evaluates the status of your coronary arteries, left ventricular function (the pumping chamber) and heart valves.
Why do may need a Coronary Angiogram?
The most common indications for performing a coronary angiogram is suspected serious coronary heart disease or in other words “blockages”. If you have any of the following an angiogram may be needed:
- Symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain most often occurring on exertion (Angina)
- Chest, jaw, neck or arm pain that can’t be explained by other tests
- New or increasing chest pain (Unstable Angina)
- A heart defect
- Heart failure
- Heart valve problems
- An abnormal heart test
A coronary angiogram is simply the test required for definitive diagnosis allowing for the planning of appropriate treatment whether it be simply medications, stenting, bypass or valve replacement.
Coronary Stenting
Coronary stenting is performed to treat significant narrowing within heart arteries. There are inherent risks with this, of which you should be aware. Coronary Stenting procedural risks overall are low, however, there is a death rate of one in 250 cases and the need for urgent surgery is very rare. Heart attack can occur and is quoted as less than one in two hundred and fifty cases.
The risk of any complication occurring is approximately 1.5% indicating that over 98% of patients will have no complications from the procedure.
It is very important to realise that these risks are average risks, and they may be higher in patients with high risk profiles such as the elderly, diabetics, those with heart failure, kidney failure and those who are unstable.
Research Interests
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Coastal Heart & Vascular is a multidisciplinary team of specialists who provide
cardiology services and cardiac care.