Is an angiogram a dangerous procedure?

Answer 1

Ignore Razwell. He tends to answer without knowledge.

To answer, coronary angiography is safe in the hands of an experienced doctor.

Coronary CT is still in it's infancy. Even with 64 slice scanners, the resolution is not always acceptable. In many cases, angiography with IVUS (intravenous ultrasound) tells much more about the structure of the plaque.

Answer 2

Well, considering they puncture your femoral artery and thread a catheter into your coronary arteries, it can be very dangerous. However, that all depends on what underlying disease process you have going on. A lot of the times an angiogram is done, the patient is in the middle of an acute heart attack! They are already compromised, so the risk is higher for them. Taking into consideration that thousands of angiograms are done daily at area hospitals, the benefit greatly outweigh any risks involved. I had an angiogram almost three months ago and I'm only 23! You will be sore for a few days where they enter the artery, but it's worth it!

Answer 3

Angiogram simply means injecting radio-opaque dye into an blood vessel (arteries) and taking images such as CT scans, Image intensifiers or even plain X-rays. There are many forms of angiogram with different risk profile.
I am assuming you are asking about coronary artery angiograms. The general consenses are that this is a fairly safe procedure with serious consequences happening roughly every one in 1000 procedures.
Strokes/heart attacks are usually 1/1000 (scraping off cholesteral plaques in aorta as the catheters progress)
Arrhythmias (usually transient) 1/100 at the most and almost have significance as they settle after the procedure
Renal failure due to radio contrast 1/100, again transient and not even noticeable unless your kidney function is peri-dialysis
damage to puncture site 1/100 for serious damage requiring surgical repair, 1/25 for minor damages that may or may not requiring repair (these risks are getting smaller as techniques and technology improve)
Decent size bruises -> EVERYONE will get a certain amount of bruise because, after all we are punction a major artery with a healthy sized needle/catheter

Answer 4

The risk of a major complication such as stroke, heart attack, or death is 1 in a 1000. Please make sure that you are not allergic to the contrast agent being used. ( Are you allergic to iodine ?) You will feel a warm feeling during the procedure ( like a flush ) but it passes quickly.
As someone mentioned previously, the benefit far out weighs the risk. Angiograms are still the "gold standard" for diagnosing coronary artery disease. We perform several hundred angios every month. As CKM mentioned above. 64 slice Cardiac CT is getting better especially for seeing soft plaque. 256 slice CT scanners will be introduced this November at the RSNA.

Answer 5

Any time an artery or vein is punctured it is a dangerous procedure; however, this is a very common procedure and the hospital normally has a staff prepared for unusual events.

Answer 6

It is dangerous and scary. any time you are messing with the heart, many complications can occur! However, it has become a very routine deal, and the hospitals are equipped with everything they need to deal with these complications. Not many deaths from this now a days!!!

Answer 7

no scary but not dangeruos trust tha doc