An arteriogram is a screening examination of the arteries and veins, that is, the blood vessels. With the help of a blood vessel examination, the flexibility or stiffness of the blood vessels’ walls can be determined, which can indicate the degree of atherosclerosis.
Arteriogram (angiogram)
The advantage of an arteriographic examination is that it can indicate the beginning of vascular damage, on the basis of which further targeted cardiological and thorough investigations of the vascular system may be justified. Thus, it gives a chance for cardiovascular problems to be detected early, and with a suitable treatment plan, serious, often fatal diseases can be prevented. The test is completely painless and takes 10-15 minutes.
Currently in Hungary, about four thousand people lose their lives every month owing to some type of cardiovascular disease, and more than half of all deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases. These are most often caused by arteriosclerosis, which is symptom-free in its initial phase, but can lead to permanent vascular damage in the long term. With the help of arteriography, arteriosclerosis can be detected at an early stage, and further tests can determine what kind of intervention and treatment is necessary for a given patient to slow the process and prevent serious diseases.
Your doctor most often recommends an arteriogram in the following cases:
- for smokers
- the overweight
- those with hypertension
- high cholesterol and/or high triglyceride levels
- diabetes or kidney disease
- a family history of high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes
- for the perimenopausal and menopausal
- for those with a high exposure to stress
- or in cases of unexpected memory failure.