What is my blood pressure and how often should I have it checked?
High blood pressure is another important risk factor for coronary artery disease that can be modified with the right treatment. As a rule of thumb, only half of people with high blood pressure have it checked, only half of those people receive treatment and only half of those people receive effective treatment, which amounts to only an eighth of those with the problem.

What is my blood glucose level? Was it checked while fasting?
Diabetes is a very important cause of coronary artery disease. It is best detected by a fasting blood glucose test in which you fast from midnight and have a blood test in the morning.

ANGIOGRAPHY

Coronary angiography is a means of seeing what is happening in the heart and its arteries. Using a flexible plastic tube, inserted into a vein or artery in the arm or leg and then fed along to the heart, a special dye is injected into the heart. The dye shows up under X-ray, and reveals any narrowing in the arteries. It is the gold-standard test for giving a definitive diagnosis of coronary artery disease. It also provides vital information that will tell cardiologists which other treatments, such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting are likely to work.

People normally have this test and can then go home, but for some it may be necessary to stay in hospital for further treatment. More than 120,000 angiograms were performed in England last year.

How long will I have to wait?
Dr Foster data shows that waiting times for an angiogram can be as long as 346 days or as short as ten days.

The average wait is 93 days. You can find details of waiting times for all English hospitals here. It is not uncommon for an angiogram to be cancelled on the day, maybe because an emergency case has come in. It is worth having an idea of how likely it is that this might occur at your hospital so that you are prepared for it should it happen.

Will it be possible to proceed from angiography to angioplasty at the same sitting?
Some people who have an angiogram also need treatment with angioplasty, and it is more convenient to have them done at the same time. However, some hospitals performing angiography cannot perform angioplasty. So, to prevent the possibility of having to be referred elsewhere, you may want to check which hospitals do both.

How often does the hospital perform this procedure?
The more often a hospital performs a procedure, the more likely it is to attain an expertise. The Government recommends a minimum of 500 angiograms a year. Dr Foster data shows that some hospitals and trusts carry out a few thousand and many hospitals will do none.

How often does the consultant perform this procedure?
The more experienced a cardiologist is at a procedure, the better. The Government recommends that cardiologists should perform a minimum of 100 angiograms every year. So you may want to ask about their experience.

Does the consultant specialise in this procedure?
The Dr Foster database of consultants lists 688 cardiologists and 311 say they have a special interest in angiography, although almost all consultants performing coronary angiography will have been extensively trained in the technique. Cardiology registrars are also trained in performing coronary angiography, usually under the supervision of a consultant.

What is the complication rate?
Angiography is relatively safe, but there are still risks. Hospitals should collect data on the complication rates for doctors performing procedures, as well as rates for the hospital. Readmissions give an indication of complication rates. Dr Foster data shows the average readmission rate for angiography is 5 per cent.

Explore Health

• Expert Advice

• Health Features

• Mental Health

• Alternative Medicine

• Child Health

• Health Club