Angioplasty is the ballooning of the affected blood vessel. An Angiogram is the procedure. A catheter is used to go into a large blood vessel and navigated to specific areas that the certified doctor wants to examine. Contrast dye is injected to be able to view the vessels being examined. Many times after the Angioplasty is done a stent is placed to keep the plaque from reoccluding the vessel. The stents or either medicated or non-medicated. Patients usually tolerate this procedure with minimal problems, although there are risks.

Angiogram is a diagnostic procedure to assess the cardiac circulation and detect the extent of blockage, if any. Angioplasty is a therapeutic procedure done to correct it.