Answer
Mr Perkins is suffering from angina pectoris. That is medical speak for chest pain. The location of the pain has led Mr. Perkins' physician to suspect cardiac involvement. Mr Perkins age, weight, sex (male) , sedentary life style , diet rich in cholesterol and smoking have all made him a perfect candidate for cardiac artery disease (CAD). Mr. Perkins' heart muscles are being starved of oxygen either because of ischemia. a blood clot in a cardiac artery, or plaque formation that has narrowed one or more arteries. The chest pain is cardiac muscle cry for more oxygen. The doctor has made the preliminary diagnosis of cardiac artery blockage but before he does any radical intervention-- like surgery-- he needs to be sure. This is why he ordered an angiographic exam. In this procedure a radio-opaque liquid is injected into the heart and its vessels by way of a catheter passed through veins.. The radio-opaque fluid will pass freely through unblocked vessels, but will be impeded or stopped where there are vessel blockages , clots, plaques malformations, injury etc. An x-ray picture of the heart and blood vessels taken while the radio-opaque liquid is circulation in the blood will plainly show the clear areas where the blood flow is impeded or blocked
Work Step by Step
If there are blockages to Mr, Perkins' arteries, coronary artery bypass surgery may be indicated .
