A coronary angiogram is performed whenever a patient has symptoms such as breathlessness or chest pain on exertion (not always) which usually indicate poor blood flow in the heart blood vessel due to blockages.
This could a non-invasive angiogram (ie CT coronary angiogram) or an invasive coronary angiogram (gold standard test). The modality depends on the risk and if the risk is higher an Invasive coronary angiogram maybe warranted.
Sometimes the poor blood flow is found during specific cardiac tests such as a treadmill test or exercise echo or exercise nuclear scan in someone with multiple heart risk factors such as smoking, family history, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and Diabetes.
Angioplasty, on the other hand, is performed when a blockage is found during angiogram that is significant enough (depends on the location and severity of the narrowing) to need treatment with stents.
However not all blockages maybe suitable for heart stents and occasionally Heart bypass surgery maybe a better option.
