These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.

Julian, age 68: My heart medication just isn't working as well as it used to. Although my angina is stable, I am not feeling as well as I'd like to. I want to have the energy to play with my grandkids and the confidence to take the vacations my wife and I always planned, without the fear of having a heart attack. I've decided to have an angiogram so that my wife, my doctor, and I can make a decision about whether there may be something else that can help me.

Reynaldo, age 75: I asked my doctor what she thought we would find out from an angiogram. She said that based on my other tests, she was pretty sure that I had a blockage in one of my main heart arteries, but that the only way to be sure was to do the angiography. When I asked her what she'd recommend if she found the blockage, she felt either angioplasty or open-heart bypass surgery would be needed. Well, I had watched my sister go through open-heart surgery, and I can tell you that it's not for me. So my doctor and I decided that we would try some different kinds of medication to keep my angina under control, and see how things went. I can still have the test—and the surgery—if I change my mind, but for now I'm doing just fine as I am.

Mabel, age 60: After my father died of a heart attack at 58 and my brother had one at 55, I was worried that I was next. When my chest pain got bad and my doctor recommended an angiogram, I was all for it. I decided I would rather have the test, and then surgery if I need it, to avoid a heart attack if possible.

Jean, age 62: I was getting chest pain after I walked a few blocks, or even less if it was cold out. I thought it was just my lungs, but when I saw my doctor, he said he thought it was my heart. So I took a treadmill test and based on my results, my doctor thought I probably had some blockage in my heart arteries, but it didn't seem too bad. We decided to try some medication and see if that helps instead of having that test where they look at the dye in your heart. I have been doing well and almost never get chest pain anymore.