A coronary angiogram is a special x-ray test performed under a local anaesthetic.

It involves injecting a special contrast dye into the main arteries supplying your heart via a long thin tube (a ‘catheter’) usually passed via an artery in your wrist or your leg. Pictures are then taken as this ‘dye’ passes through the heart arteries and shows up any narrowing or obstruction in these arteries. This test also offers your Consultant the chance to review the overall pumping function of your heart and its valves. In patients with angina, a coronary angiogram will allow your Consultant to identify precisely the artery or arteries causing the problem. These pictures will then enable him to decide on the most effective treatment for your condition. This could include medical therapy (drugs), coronary angioplasty and stenting or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.