About this topic
Arteries are blood vessels that supply blood to all parts of your body. An arteriogram is a procedure that looks at your arteries. It helps your doctor see how well blood moves through your blood vessels. The doctor uses a special dye and x-rays to help see inside the blood vessels. This test helps find problems like a block, bulge, or narrow place in a blood vessel. This procedure may be done to look at blood vessels in the heart, brain, or kidneys. It can also look at blood vessels in many other parts of the body. The doctor may be able to treat a problem during the procedure. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take all drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressing.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Prevent blood clots
- Help with pain
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to rest for a while. Talk with your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Bruising
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Injury to blood vessels
- Stroke
- Allergy or kidney problem from the dye used
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if you have signs of stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if you have: ‚
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Call your doctor if you have: ‚
- Signs of a very bad reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; chest pain; shortness of breath, bad cough; blue skin color; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Go to the ER right away.
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Any signs including pain, swelling, bleeding, coldness, or color change at the catheter site; dizziness, fainting, or tiredness
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have signs of a stroke.
Where can I learn more?
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/pad/diagnosis.html ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/stroke/diagnosis.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚