Coronary angiography

Quality statement 5 - Acute Coronary Syndromes Clinical Care Standard

The role of coronary angiography, with a view to timely and appropriate coronary revascularisation, is discussed with a patient with a non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) who is assessed to be at intermediate or high risk of an adverse cardiac event.

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Purpose

To ensure that the risks and benefits of coronary angiography, performed to determine appropriate coronary revascularisation, are discussed with all eligible patients with an NSTEACS.

For consumers

If you have a heart attack in which the artery supplying an area of the heart muscle is partly but not fully blocked, your doctor works out your risk of having a serious heart problem in the future.

If that risk is medium or high, your doctor talks to you about whether you should have a procedure called coronary angiography. In coronary angiography, a specialist passes a fine probe through an artery to your heart, then releases a dye that shows up on X-rays. In this way, your doctors know which arteries are blocked, and how much they are blocked. Then they talk to you about whether it is possible to unblock them, and how best to do so.

For clinicians

If patients are identified to be at intermediate or high risk of an adverse cardiac event, discuss with them the risks and benefits of coronary angiography and appropriate revascularisation.

For health service organisations

Ensure that systems and processes are in place for clinicians to offer coronary angiography and appropriate coronary revascularisation to all eligible patients with an NSTEACS.
 

For consumers

If you have a heart attack in which the artery supplying an area of the heart muscle is partly but not fully blocked, your doctor works out your risk of having a serious heart problem in the future.

If that risk is medium or high, your doctor talks to you about whether you should have a procedure called coronary angiography. In coronary angiography, a specialist passes a fine probe through an artery to your heart, then releases a dye that shows up on X-rays. In this way, your doctors know which arteries are blocked, and how much they are blocked. Then they talk to you about whether it is possible to unblock them, and how best to do so.

For clinicians

If patients are identified to be at intermediate or high risk of an adverse cardiac event, discuss with them the risks and benefits of coronary angiography and appropriate revascularisation.

For health service organisations

Ensure that systems and processes are in place for clinicians to offer coronary angiography and appropriate coronary revascularisation to all eligible patients with an NSTEACS.
 

Read Quality statement 6 - Individualised Care Plan

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Acute Coronary Syndrome Clinical Care Standard
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