The angiography department at the Top Ihilov Medical Center uses the most modern and effective methods for examinations and treatments – coronary angiography.
Any pathology or anomaly of the vessels supplying the heart inevitably leads to a severe condition for the patient; in some cases, the disease can persist for years, and sometimes a critical moment can occur immediately after the onset of the disease. Changes in the coronary (heart) vessels often lead to myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, arrhythmias, thermal states, coma, and, unfortunately, sometimes death. One of the causes of narrowing of the coronary vessels is atherosclerosis – this disease is the most common among heart pathologies, affecting the most patients with heart conditions.
Coronary angiography is a diagnostic method that most accurately and reliably shows all changes in the heart vessels. Thanks to the use of diagnostic angiography at the Top Ihilov Medical Center, diseases are diagnosed in the early stages of development, allowing for immediate treatment to prevent blockage of the coronary vessel, remove a thrombus, or perform other optimal treatments. The diagnostic center at Top Ihilov performs more than five thousand angiography procedures (diagnostic and therapeutic) annually.
When is Coronary Angiography Indicated
Angiography is prescribed for any disturbances in blood supply to the heart, with the decision made by the treating cardiologist; the necessity of the procedure is correlated with the patient's condition, and its complexity should not exceed the severity of the disease.
Emergency angiography of the coronary vessels is indicated in acute conditions: myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, unstable angina, chest pain at rest accompanied by altered ECG. Angiography for diagnosis and treatment in the first hours of a heart attack saves the patient's life. During the procedure, blood supply to the heart muscle is restored by introducing a balloon catheter into the vessel and subsequently stenting the affected area, preventing the necrosis process from spreading, allowing the muscle to recover.
Elective angiography is prescribed for stable angina (pain occurs only causally: physical exertion, stress, etc.). Coronary angiography may be indicated if there is suspicion of vessel narrowing, especially if the changes on the exercise ECG indicate aortic narrowing, or in cases of frequent chest pain and pain behind the sternum, the etiology of which cannot be determined.
Coronary Angiography – A Diagnostic Method
Angiography, as a diagnostic method, is widely used at the Top Ihilov Medical Center. This method allows for the assessment of the condition of the coronary vessels. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The principle of the method is the visualization of the vessel, its walls, and functionality. A thin catheter is introduced into the femoral artery or shoulder artery up to the presumed focus of the lesion, and a contrast agent is injected through the catheter, filling the vessel. The result can be recorded using radiological imaging, CT, or 3D visualization. The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes, is completely painless and harmless. There may be slight pain at the site of skin puncture, and a small amount of blood may be released. In half of the cases, the examination continues with therapeutic angiography, and often after the examination, effective medication treatment is selected for the patient. In rare cases of severe coronary vessel lesions, bypass surgery may be indicated subsequently.
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