A minimally invasive imaging procedure that uses live X-ray imaging and contrast dye to create a detailed map of your arteries, showing where blockages are located, how severe they are, and which treatment may be most appropriate.
01
A thin catheter is inserted through a small puncture in the groin or wrist and guided into the artery using live X-ray.
02
Contrast dye is injected through the catheter, making the arteries visible on live X-ray.
03
The physician reviews the images in real time to locate blockages and assess their severity.
04
If needed, treatment may be performed during the same visit. Otherwise, the catheter is removed and the access site is closed.
What to expect after Angiogram.
Most patients go home the same day and return to normal activities within a few days.
Rest while your access site is monitored.
Go home with a driver.
Take it easy, drink fluids, and monitor the access site.
Resume light activity.
Avoid heavy lifting as directed.
Most patients return to normal activities within a few days.
Discuss your findings and next steps with your vascular team.
How an Angiogram Helps
An angiogram is a diagnostic procedure that uses contrast dye and live X-ray imaging to create detailed images of your arteries and identify blockages.
Angioplasty is a treatment that uses a balloon catheter to widen a narrowed or blocked artery. At HVLC, an angiogram and treatment can often be performed during the same visit using the same catheter access site. This means you may receive both a diagnosis and treatment during one appointment.
An angiogram is a well-established and widely performed procedure. However, as with any catheter-based procedure, there are potential risks.
These may include bruising or bleeding at the access site, an allergic reaction to the contrast dye, or, rarely, a complication involving the blood vessel or access site. Your individual risk depends on your overall health and medical history.
Tell our team before your appointment if you have previously had an allergic reaction to iodine or contrast dye. Additional precautions or medications may be recommended.
Most patients remain at the clinic for several hours, including the procedure and recovery monitoring period. The exact duration will depend on whether diagnostic imaging alone or additional treatment is performed.
You should not drive yourself home. Please arrange for a responsible adult to pick you up. Sedation may affect your alertness, and the access site must be monitored before you leave.
Our team will confirm the expected timing when your appointment is scheduled.
General anesthesia is usually not required. An angiogram at HVLC is typically performed using local anesthesia to numb the access area. Light sedation may also be provided to help you relax.
You will usually remain awake and able to communicate with our team throughout the procedure. No surgical incision is required, and stitches are typically not needed.
Medicare may cover a diagnostic angiogram when it is considered medically necessary and applicable coverage requirements are met.
Coverage through Medicare Advantage, Medi-Cal, and commercial insurance plans varies depending on the plan, provider network, medical necessity, and authorization requirements.
Our team will verify your individual insurance benefits and discuss any applicable authorization or out-of-pocket requirements before your procedure.
Call 661-324-4100 to speak with our team about your insurance coverage.
Knee Pain & GAE
Most people with chronic knee or joint pain have quietly learned to live with it. A vascular specialist in Bakersfield explains why that is worth reconsidering this Pain Awareness Month.
Heart & Vascular Health, PAD & Circulation
When someone gets a high cholesterol result, the conversation almost always goes the same direction: heart disease risk, statins, diet changes, and keeping an eye on blood pressure. All of that is appropriate. But there is something consistently missing from that conversation. The same cholesterol buildup that narrows the arteries near your heart does the exact same thing to the arteries supplying your legs. And for a lot of patients managing high cholesterol, nobody has told them that.
Heart & Vascular Health, PAD & Circulation
September is Vascular Disease Awareness Month and PAD Awareness Month. Here is why that matters specifically for patients in Bakersfield and Kern County, and what a free vascular screening can tell you.
Knee Pain & GAE
Knee Pain at Night: Why It Gets Worse When You Stop Moving and What It Could Mean Most people expect joint pain to get worse during activity. Push it too hard, feel it afterward. That logic makes sense. So when knee pain is worst at night, when you are lying still, not putting any weight on it, not doing anything at all, it catches people off guard. Some assume they slept in a bad position. Others take a painkiller and try to push through. What fewer people know is that nighttime knee pain has a specific meaning. It is not random. It is telling you something about what is driving the pain, and it points directly toward a mechanism that standard treatments often miss.
Heart & Vascular Health, PAD & Circulation
What Happens to Your Legs When You Sit All Day. And Why It Matters More Than You Think sitting all day effects on leg circulation poor circulation vascular health Bakersfield Most people know that sitting too much is not great for them. They have heard it enough times. But the conversation usually stays vague, centered around back pain, posture, or burning calories. What gets far less attention is what prolonged sitting does specifically to the blood flow in your legs. And for a significant number of people, particularly those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease, the effects are not just discomfort. They are the early stages of a real vascular problem.
PAD & Circulation
Your Heart Gets a Lot of Attention. Your Leg Arteries Deserve the Same
chronic knee pain management vs treatment what actually helps HVLC Bakersfield
Every February, American Heart Month reminds people to take care of their arteries, watch their cholesterol, check their blood pressure, and protect their cardiovascular health.
Vein Disease & DVT
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a circulatory system problem that occurs in the deep veins of your legs. Anyone who’s developed any stage of vein disease is at risk for developing this potentially life-threatening condition, but knowing your risks will help you get medical treatment at the first sign of trouble.
Knee Pain & GAE
Arthritis Is Not Just About Your Joints. Here Is Why Your Blood Vessels Matter Too And most of the conversation this month follows the same familiar path: cartilage breakdown, joint wear, inflammation, medication, physiotherapy, and eventually surgery.
PAD & Circulation
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a circulatory system problem that occurs in the deep veins of your legs. Anyone who’s developed any stage of vein disease is at risk for developing this potentially life-threatening condition, but knowing your risks will help you get medical treatment at the first sign of trouble.
PAD & Circulation
If your days involve long hours of sitting at a desk or standing on your feet, your legs may be working overtime to keep blood moving. The good news? You don’t need a gym session—or much time—to support healthy circulation. A few simple stretches, like calf raises and ankle circles, can make a noticeable difference in just minutes.
Knee Pain & GAE
GAE vs. Knee Replacement: Understanding Where Genicular Artery Embolization Fits
Not Every Patient With Knee Arthritis Is Ready for Surgery Knee osteoarthritis can progress slowly over years. Some patients manage symptoms with exercise, medication, injections, weight loss, bracing, or physical therapy. Others eventually reach a point where knee replacement becomes the best option.
Knee Pain & GAE
Being told your knee is bone on bone does not automatically mean surgery is your only option. A vascular specialist in Bakersfield explains what it really means and what else may help.
Knee Pain & GAE
Tried cortisone shots, physio, and injections but your knee pain is still not gone? You may be missing the real source of the problem. Learn about Genicular Artery Embolization, now available in Bakersfield.
Diabetic Foot, Wounds & Limb Preservation
Diabetes quietly damages the arteries in your legs before any pain appears. Learn why diabetics in Kern County are at higher risk for PAD, and what a simple vascular check can tell you.
PAD & Circulation
If you've been told surgery is your only option for knee pain, there may be a step worth exploring first. A minimally invasive procedure targeting inflammation is now available in Bakersfield.
PAD & Circulation
Your Heart Gets a Lot of Attention. Your Leg Arteries Deserve the Same
chronic knee pain management vs treatment what actually helps HVLC Bakersfield
Every February, American Heart Month reminds people to take care of their arteries, watch their cholesterol, check their blood pressure, and protect their cardiovascular health.
Mon - Thu
8am - 6pm
Fri
8am - 5pm
Sat - Sun
Closed
Medicare
Medicare
Most PPOs
Same-day appointments often available
5020 Commerce Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93309
Advanced minimally invasive treatments for knee pain, joint pain poor circulation, vein disease and chronic pain.
Helping patients find relief without major surgery.
Follow us on: