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Coronary Angiography

IDefinition Test done to detect problems with the heart and its blood supply Parts of the Body Involved * Heart * Leg or arm Reasons for Procedure It is generally done after symptoms that could mean heart problems, like chest pain. Cardiac catheterization helps doctors to: * Identify narrowed or clogged arteries of the heart * Measure blood pressure within the heart * Evaluate how well the heart valves function * Determine how well the four chambers of the heart function * Check for congenital heart defects * Evaluate an enlarged heart * Decide on an appropriate treatment Based on a 2008 review, treating acute coronary syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, with angiography and revascularization (restoring blood flow to the heart) may reduce the rate of being hospitalized again. But the surgery did not reduce the rate of death or heart attack. *¹