The Angiogram Procedure: Why It’s Needed, Preparation and How It’s Done

How the test is done. Should a patient’s vital statistics be stable, a doctor will begin the procedure by inserting a tube called a catheter into a blood vessel inside the recipient’s arm or groin. Once the catheter is inserted, the tube is extended through the arteries that lead to the heart. When the catheter reaches the blood vessels surrounding the heart, the physician administering the test can carefully examine said structures and assess what actions should be taken subsequently. If any arteries are occluded (blocked), cardiac catheterization may be indicated as a means of clearing the obstruction and restoring normal blood flow.