Angiogram procedure

Moderate coronary arterial disease/obstruction/calcification put the patient in the 'watch' category with more frequent assessments until the occlusion becomes dangerous, which is near the 70% mark.

Your overall health, daily routine, and the quality of your interactions with caregivers, particularly the experts such as cardiologists and thoracic surgeons, determines whether or not you're put in a high risk category. The cost to the system is not important in that each patient, regardless of age, will cost about the same for the same procedure. If you stand to have extended longevity and/or quality of life by having the surgery, it will be provided (with some variance between the assessing experts, their experience, their leadership/hospital administration, their training, and their continuous upgrading and learning which all professionals should undertake).
You should make a list of pertinent questions to put to your surgeon or cardiologist next time you meet so that you feel secure that you will receive the best care possible for your needs when you need it.

Hi @winproc, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You are going through a stressful diagnostic process and have found a good place for input and encouragement from others.

@gloaming has provided good feedback. From my own experience, a list of questions to ask as well as being able to summarize just how your symptoms are affecting your day-to-day will also help your doctor understand how to address your concerns.

It may help others know better how to support you, if you don’t mind sharing a bit more about what prompted you to have an angiogram. What symptoms are you having? Do you have a follow-up appointment scheduled?

One interesting thing I have learned doing research is that stents are not a cure. The cure is cardiac rehab! They usually do not place stents if you have blockages that are less than 70% occluded. Sometimes they can’t place them because of severe calcification of the vessel.
Another consideration is that after the stents are placed there is an immediate need to go on aspirin and an antiplatelet drug. These thin your blood and can cause severe issues with bleeding. Some people cannot take them because of other health issues.
I hope that you can have a good conversation with your cardiologists and find out exactly what you can do to improve your health situation!

i was being treated for AF for approx five years with thumps from missed beats on occasions. I was already on Clopidogrel thinners for a TIA 15 years ago. The cardiologist seemed to have controlled the AF with beta blockers and changed me to Apaxaban twice daily from the Clopidogrel. The Angiogram is a follow up to the results of cardiac CT and MRI which also revealed a left breast issue, which involved mamogram etc and some little embarassment for an elderly man. Although benign the cardiologist is strongly advising removal, the oncologist says only after the heart treatment reolution. I am awaiting a decision on a way forward and have read up on the condition revealed and look forward to discussions with the cardiologist. After a fit and active life the situation and overall health has deteriated quickly over the past five years.

Yes it’s a tuff diagnosis but there are many treatment options. Your cardiologist will access the diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan for you . Be patient and watch the anxiety. Peace

The anxiety would be a little less if the extensive bruises from the procedure, still present on my hand and extending up to my elbow, were a little less pronounced, as it will be one week in the morning since they did it.. (Visited my local doctor this morning said no problem.)