Home Care Following Angiography

General care of your puncture site for the next 24 to 48 hours:

• If the puncture site is in your groin, avoid excessive or unnecessary flexing of your leg at the hip, and avoid straining or lifting heavy objects (more than ten pounds).
  
  
• Support your groin site with your hand when you cough, sneeze, sit, stand, climb stairs or change positions.

After 24 to 48 hours:

• You may resume your normal activity unless otherwise instructed.
  
  
• You may resume driving.
  
  
• You may shower and remove the bandage to wash the site gently with soap and water. Pat dry and leave open to air.
  
  
• Avoid baths, hot tubs or swimming for three to five days.

Other instructions:

• Drink at least six glasses of additional fluid over the next 24 hours. This will help to flush the x-ray dye out of your kidneys.
  
  
• Check for bleeding, swelling or pain at the puncture site. If significant bleeding should develop at any time, lie back and apply firm pressure slightly above the site. If bleeding does not stop –notify your doctor immediately, or call 911.

Notify your doctor if:

• Your extremity becomes numb, painful, swollen, pale or cold to the touch.
  
  
• You experience new symptoms of blurred vision, prolonged dizziness, or loss of sensation, strength or balance.
  
  
• You note signs of infection, such as increasing redness, localized warmth and swelling, drainage, unusual pain at the site, or a fever with a temperature greater than 101 degrees.

Finally: 

• If you need to call a physician call your primary doctor.
  
  
• If you need to reach the physician on call for Minneapolis Heart Institute® cardiology, please call (612) 863-3900.
  
  
• If you need immediate help, call 911.