Confusing 'A' Procedures After Heart Attack: Know The Difference Between Angiography And Angioplasty

While the two procedures sound very similar and it is common for many of us to confuse one with another, the procedures differ entirely in their purpose and function

Heart ailments are on the rise. With winter approaching, the risk to develop cardiovascular disturbances also increases manifold. The reason might be both physiological changes like overall increased blood pressure and environmental. While most of us put conscious efforts into understanding the symptoms of a cardiac disorder, it is equally crucial to know what to do next. Once you are diagnosed with a heart attack, what will you do next? A simple ECG or a few blood tests can diagnose the cardiac event but there is an urgent need for two same-sounding procedures that might provide depth to the assessment and will help recover from the situation.

The two procedures are angiography and angioplasty. While angiography is necessary, angioplasty might or might not follow.

Angiography versus angioplasty

While the two procedures sound very similar and it is common for many of us to confuse one with another, the procedures differ entirely in their purpose and function. While angiography is a diagnostic tool that allows the medical practitioner to check for any blockages in arteries, angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure performed to remove the blockage. During the former, a special dye is injected through a fine tube or catheter into the artery of the arm. X-rays are immediately taken and the motion of the dye is closely observed to see where and how well the blood is moving in your blood vessels. If your provider finds a blockage, they might recommend you to go for an angioplasty straightaway.

In the latter, the catheter or tube is inserted through the arterial blockage. A special balloon on the catheter is inflated using water pressure higher than the blood pressure, and then the balloon is deflated and withdrawn. Your provider is likely to repeat the procedure again and again till the blockage is completely removed. If the blockage is greater, then, in that case, the doctor might place a stent (wire-mesh metal) to keep the artery open.

Conditions that might lead to the procedure

Sometimes your attending doctor might diagnose a heart attack through a simple ECG or some blood tests, other times he might simply ask you to go for angiography on seeing certain symptoms. The following are some such symptoms-

1. Chest pain
2. Unexplained pain in the jaw, neck or arm
3. Shortness of breath
4. Severe headache
5. Dizziness
6. Have a heart attack
7. Double vision
8. Suspecting brain tumour
9. Could have a possible blood clot or blockage.

What to expect after angioplasty?

Another important question that might trouble our mind is what happens after an angioplasty. In most cases, your healthcare provider will keep you in observation for some hours or even a day after the procedure. In some cases, the sheath or introducer may be left in the insertion site. If so, the bedrest will last until the sheath is removed. After the sheath is removed, you may be given a light meal. You might feel the urge to urinate more because of the contrast dye. You will be asked to drink more water to flush out the dye. You might eventually be asked to shift to normal diet.