CT or catheter angiogram for possible stenosis?

I am male, 55 years old. I get a frequent chest pains in the upper chest accompanied by significant mental confusion. My cardiologist thinks a catheter angiogram is low risk but I am worried

My chest pains and confusion occur most days and have been getting worse for years. I have been ignoring pains at the top of my chest for many years.

My ECG (EKG), the TREADMILL test, and my ECHOCARDIOGRAM were all fine.

I had significant improvement when I increased my medication (Amlodipine and Losartan). To improve my confusion I added Bisporolol (beta blocker) which gets my BP to 105/65 with pulse of 43 bpm.

When the chest pains were bad, I sometimes got PAINS DOWN BOTH MY ARMS which were shooting pains but can be sustained for hours.

A DOPPLER ULTRASOUND OF THE CAROTID neck arteries was ok. Could there be a narrowing of my VERTEBRAL ARTERIES (because I get visual and balance problems as part of my confusion) or a problem along the aortic arch?

The cardiologist prefers a catheter angiogram. I worry a catheter might cause a complication (perhaps with the aortic arch or some arteries). On the other hand a CT angiogram may not reveal enough info as a catheter angiogram.

What should I do? Thank you for any info.

stkitt said...
If your worried about an angio you may want to obtain a second opinion. You can also go back to your current physician and discuss the pros and cons of the 2 procedures.

I wish you the very best in whichever procedure you choose. REmember it is good to advocate for yourself.

Kindly,
Kitt

Thank you for your kind reply, Kitt. I feel a bit outgunned because two doctors (my GP and the cardiologist) think there is nothing much wrong with me and so they both advise me to have the regular catheter angiogram. I'm not convinced either of them properly appreciate that my symptoms.

A previous cardiologist said there was nothing wrong with the heart and I think that is correct because the problem seems in the arteries. However it does make me look stubborn because in a way that makes the situation vaguely look as if two cardiologists and one GP think I am alright.

I hope you see what I mean. I am left with having to decide about a medical matter that I have little real knowledge of. I keep trying to learn about it but it's hard to get a perspective abot these things. That's why I am so keen to get some other views on what to do in my situation from people here.