Discharge Advice Following Coronary Angiography

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What to Do When you go Home

After you have had your procedure, we advise you to go straight home and rest for 12 to 24 hours. Do not drive yourself home but arrange for someone to collect you. You must have a relative or friend at home with you during the night following your procedure and access to a telephone.

Care for the next 3 days:
• No heavy lifting or strenuous activity. For example, heavy housework, gardening, walking too far or sexual intercourse.
• No driving for two days
• You can have warm showers in the first 24 hours after your procedure. We advise you not to have a hot bath during this time as this may cause the artery to dilate again and cause bleeding.
• No alcohol for 24 hours.

It is important to keep checking the puncture site after your cardiac catheter for the following:
• Bruising – it is quite normal to have some bruising. However, if a painful lump or swelling occurs contact the Nursing Staff in the Cardiac Catheter Suite or the coronary care unit.
• Bleeding – Before you go home, your wound will be checked to ensure bleeding has stopped. If, after you have left the hospital you begin to bleed heavily from your wound, apply firm pressure over the wound site and then dial 999 for an ambulance.
• If your arm/leg is painful, feels cooler or looks a different colour from your other, please ring the Cardiac catheter Suite or Coronary care unit urgently or attend A&E Urgently.
• If your procedure was done through the groin and you have an Angioseal closure device, you may be able to feel a pea sized lump in your groin; this is normal and will disappear in a couple of months.
• Keep the Angioseal Information Card with you for the next three months and ensure you inform your doctor if you have any further treatment in the groin area.

If your angiogram was performed radially (via the wrist):
• Do not put your wrist into hot water.
• Do not perform repetitive tasks with the hand of the affected wrist. For example: – typing, computer games, wringing out clothes.
• You can remove the dressing when you get home.
• Contact the Nursing Staff in the Cardiac Catheter Suite or go to your local Emergency

Department if a painful lump develops.

Medication Instructions:
Metformin: Please restart 2 days after your procedure.
Insulin: Please restart your normal dose after the procedure.
Anticoagulation: If you take blood thinning medication and have stopped taking it prior to your procedure you will be advised when to restart this before you go home.

Contact your GP if any of the following symptoms occur:
• Fever
• Persistent tenderness or swelling in the groin or wrist
• Redness and/or warm to the touch
• Numbness or pain in the leg when walking
• Numbness or pain in the wrist (radial approaches)
• Any drainage from the puncture site
• Rash

Useful contacts:
British Heart Foundation Information Books are available from your Nurse.
Website: www.bhf.org.uk
Cardiac Angiography Unit 01908 996539 (Mon to Fri)
Cardiology Department 01908 997197 (Mon to Fri)
Ward 17/ Cardiology Ward 01908 997342 (24 hours/day)

We ask information about you so that you can receive proper care and treatment. This information remains confidential and is stored securely by the Trust in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Milton Keynes University Hospital,
Standing way,
Eaglestone,
Milton Keynes,
MK6 5LD
www.mkhospital.nhs.uk