The objective of this study was to evaluate whether routine use of FFR in all the coronary arteries could change the strategy in stable patients that underwent angiography for the investigation of a chest pain. We included 200 patients with chest pain; for 72 of them, the strategy would be to provide medical treatment by performing only a conventional angiography. This number increased to 89 upon addition of FFR (p<0.001) to the evaluation. Of the 90 patients who received angioplasty, only 80 would have received if the angiography was used instead of FFR. The change of strategy to angioplasty or otherwise remains unchanged in 34% of cases when using FFR.
Conclusion: The routine use of FFR in the cath lab during coronary angiography significantly changes the strategy.
Nick Curzen, PHD, FRCP.
2013-05-23
Original title: Does routine pressure wire assessment influence management strategyat coronary angiography for diagnosis of chest pain? The RIPCORD study.
