Coronary arteriography: indications, techniques, and morbidity.

Coronary arteriography has evolved into a relatively safe and simple procedure, yielding important information about the patient with clinical manifestations of coronary heart disease. The clear trend is to employ arteriography earlier and more frequently in the evaluation. The major therapeutic modality dependent on arteriography at present is bypass surgery, but transluminal angioplasty is rapidly developing and will probably be applicable to an expanding portion of patients. Even newer is thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction with its promise of limiting myocardial damage in that setting.