Coronary Angiography Indications

Coronary Angiography Indications

• Patients with CCS class III and IV angina despite optimal therapy
• Patients with high risk based on clinical course or on noninvasive testing regardless of anginal severity
• Patients who have survived sudden death or serious ventricular arrhythmias
• Patents with angina and CHF
• Patients with occupational requirement of a definitive diagnosis and prognosis e.g. young military person

• Drawbacks
• Gives information about coronary anatomy, not physiology i.e. can't tell you the pain patient has is clearly angina
• Doesn't detect coronary thrombi
• Can't tell you which small plaques will become unstable
• High cost