Final answer:
A coronary angiogram is an imaging test used to diagnose blockages in the coronary arteries in patients with angina pectoris. It involves X-ray imaging after injecting a dye into the arteries to visualize any blockages, which can cause reduced blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient with angina pectoris, experiencing chest pain due to reduced blood flow in coronary arteries, is scheduled for a coronary angiogram to look for blockage in the coronary arteries. This test is an imaging procedure that uses X-ray technology to visualize the heart's blood vessels. During a coronary angiogram, a special dye is injected into the coronary arteries to make them visible on the X-ray images. If blockages are found, they often show as narrowed or occluded areas where the dye’s flow is restricted or absent, indicating decreased blood flow (ischemia) and insufficient oxygen (hypoxia) to the heart muscle which can lead to cardiac muscle death (myocardial infarction) if not treated. Treatment for such blockages may include lifestyle changes, medications, and potentially surgery such as angioplasty, stent placement, endarterectomy, or coronary bypass surgery to restore adequate blood flow to the heart muscle.