should be performed on all patients at risk of coronary disease before they undergo heart surgery.
may be used in diagnosis, assessment of severity of lesions, and treatment (stent insertion, angioplasty)
possible indications for coronary angiography include:
more than 2 mm ST depression on an exercise ECG
angina or ST depression in a patient who is recovering from an MI
unstable angina - i.e. chest pain which results in an admission to a cardiac care unit, but with no cardiac enzyme rise
a sudden worsening of the angina
angina resistant to medical treatment
in congenital heart disease - diagnosis, assessment and treatment (e.g. septostomy, balloon dilatation)
valvular heart disease - diagnosis and assessment; cardiac catheterization offers a treatment option in valvuloplasty if patient unfit for (or declines) surgical intervention
other conditions where cardiac catheterization may be used include pericardial disease, cardiomyopathy; also for performing endomyocardial biopsy
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