A coronary angiography is a procedure to diagnose coronary heart disease by assessing the condition of the inside of the coronary arteries. During the procedure, doctors insert a cardiac catheter, a long, thin flexible tube, through a blood vessel in the upper thigh, arm or neck and maneuver the tube through the blood vessels to the coronary arteries. Dye is then injected into the bloodstream, and doctors watch the flow of the dye in the blood through the arteries of the heart using an X-ray machine. Coronary angiography is generally a safe procedure, although complications may result on rare occasions.
Catheter Pain
Patients undergoing a coronary angiography sometimes experience pain and soreness at the site where the incision was made into the blood vessel to insert the cardiac catheter. Additionally, a painful bruise may form at the incision site, which usually heals in a few days, according to Patient UK. In rare cases, the incision may become infected, requiring treatment with antibiotics.
Dye Allergies
A small percentage of people are allergic to the dye used in a coronary angiography. These people may experience a mild allergic reaction to the dye. Many people feel a warm, flushed sensation starting at the incision site and spreading across the body, which is not harmful, explains FloridaHealthFinder.gov. In other rare cases, the dye may cause damage to the kidneys as the kidneys filter it from the blood.
Damaged Blood Vessels
In very rare cases, the catheter may accidentally scrap the inside of a blood vessel, causing a small tear or hole. In other cases, blood may start to clot on the catheter. If a blood clot forms on the catheter and then breaks off, it could possibly travel to the heart and cause a heart attack or travel to the brain and cause a stroke, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute warns.
Irregular Heart Beat
Certain patients may develop a temporary heart arrhythmia, which is an irregular heart beat, during or shortly after receiving a coronary angiography. Often, if an arrhythmia does develop, it subsides after a few days. In rare cases, the arrhythmia may persist and require additional treatment, explains the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. In addition, patients may experience a brief pain in the area of the heart, similar to angina, while the procedure is being performed. This pain is sometimes caused by a temporary reduction in blood flow to the heart caused by the catheter. This obstruction may also temporarily reduce blood pressure.
Pericardial Effusion
Another rare complication is pericardial effusion, an accumulation of fluid in the membrane that wraps around the heart, reports the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. If too much fluid fills the membrane, it may cause the heart to beat improperly.
