Referral for Angiogram

[paw1]

After a recent telephone conversation with a cardiologist I am being referred for an angiogram (with angioplasty if required). Over the last two years have begun to find hills a little harder.

Looking for good advice and positive comments on how I can prepare myself prior to the procedure for good outcomes and recovery.

I have coronary heart disease and had one stent fitted just over 10 years ago. So I am not going into this as a total unknown. I do feel though that I would like some good up to date comments and help from you.

[Chappychap]

The only advice I'd offer is this, make sure that the angiogram hospital refers you for a Cardio Rehab course. It's the hospital that does this, not your GP.

You may have attended a Cardio Rehab course after your last stent, but I understand that they've been updated recently, so it would be well worth attending again.

Many people on this forum say that Cardio Rehab was the critical turning point, and I'd agree with that. The reason I believe it's so important is because our heart disease is both incurable and progressive. In other words we'll have it for life, and left to it's own devices it will keep getting worse. A stent (or indeed a bypass for that matter) can buy us some time and fix the symptoms of angina, but it won't actually cure us. What we can do however is slow down the progress of our disease, hopefully to an absolute crawl, with medication and life style changes.

And this is where the Cardio Rehab programme comes in. During the six week course it explains precisely how medication and life style changes can work to keep us safe and healthy. Furthermore we're given exercise regimes and diet advice tailored specifically to us as individuals, and we're given all the time we might want to ask questions of an extremely knowledgeable group of specialist cardiac nurses.

Good luck!

[paw1 in reply to Chappychap]

Thank you for the reply. I did complete Cardio Rehab 10 years ago and found it invaluable for confidence building and going forward. I hope they are still being offered in the area I live.

[Hidden]

I had my second angiogram as an outpatient last October. A few days before your procedure you should have a pre-procedure assessment with one of the angiography team who will go through a number of straightforward questions about you, your health and medication. You will receive instructions about stopping medication like aspirin prior to the procedure. You will be given the opportunity to ask questions. My assessment was over the phone, and the paperwork mailed to me with instructions on what I should be doing before my visit. On the day you will speak with the cardiologist and then be asked to sign the consent form and then when its your turn off to the procedure room, where you will will be sedated, and the procedure takes place. My entry point was on the wrist. I was conscious throughout and the whole thing took about 30 mins, perhaps because I wasn't stented. Then off to recover. I saw the cardiologist about an hour after I came out the procedure room, and was discharged about an hour later. If you are stented that may be different. It was very much like a conveyor belt of comings and goings for angio patients whilst I was there. Finally you will need to arrange for a pick up at discharge even for an angiogram. If you are not stented don't drive for 24 hours to allow for the sedation drug to dissipate. but this extends to 7 days if you were stented but only if it was successful and you don’t need any more surgery. Next you may have a lump at the insertion site which slowly goes after a week ot two, and you will need to take it easy for a few days even for a simple angiogram. Others may be able to help more for post procedure if you are stented.

[paw1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for the reply. Very clear and helpful.

[JaninS in reply to Hidden]

This account exactly mirrors my own experience last year. I had an angiogram but no stent. All I would add is that in the 2 weeks after the procedure I had quite a lot of pain at the site and further up my lower arm. No swelling, temperature or lumps. GP concluded it was bruising alon g track of the artery used. It was alarming at the time but resolved eventually. It may have been caused by leaning my arms on a hard table for some time about a week after the procedure. So be careful. However clever it is, and it is very clever it is still invasive and your body needs to recover. Good luck!

[paw1 in reply to JaninS]

Thank you for your clear, helpful reply and the reminder about recovery time.

[Heather1957]

I had a bypass in 2017, then September 2021 I started having unstable angina so was admitted to a local hospital who had limited cardio facilities ( can do angiograms but nothing else). Because of my bypass it was decided to transfer me to the bigger teaching hospital in the Capitol.

I was taken to the Catheter lab where I had an angiogram and although I needed 2 stents fitted the arteries were so calcified they had to drill them so they could fit the stents.

I found it a thoroughly unpleasant experience BUT it is something they wouldn't have been able to do a few years ago, This drilling procedure (rotablation) is a relatively new thing so be prepared as this may have to be done to you.

As I said I found it unpleasant but many people have said it was a breeze for them, obviously I was awake but was sedated and boy I slept well that night.

Not sure much has changed apart from that.

[paw1 in reply to Heather1957]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[Cat04]

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[paw1 in reply to Cat04]

Thank you so much for posting the link page.

[Ds1423]

I had my first stent fitted to clear a 95% blockage in my left coronary artery on the 10/02/23.

In my case I also started to find hills hard to walk up and started the referral process last year.

I had the chance to get the treatment in a private cardiac clinic in Plymouth as part of waiting list busting strategy used by local NHS trust.

I had a really positive experience from treatment to recovery, I played my first round of golf last weekend after speaking to cardio rehab nurse and I must say am feeling really good .

I hope everything goes well for you.

[paw1]

Thank you so much for such an encouraging, uplifting reply. Just what I needed.