<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-06-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001096481</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ANGIOTECH PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ANPI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001365619</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Brege Laura</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ONYX PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2100 POWELL STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EMERYVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94608</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option with Tandem SAR</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.06</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-06-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-06-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The options will start to vest effective 07/01/2009 in equal installments on a monthly basis until 07/01/2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the number of the Company's common shares into which the stock options are convertible.  In the event that the Reporting Person elects to exercise the tandem SAR, the stock option will be cancelled and the Reporting Person will be entitled to receive a number of common shares with an aggregate value equal to the product of (a) the excess of the market price of a common share on the date of exercise over the exercise price of the tandem SAR, multiplied by (b) the number of tandem SARs exercised.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jay Dent, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-06-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
