indications

Last reviewed 01/2018

• in coronary artery disease
  • 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