Fractional flow in PCI
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Evidence strongly suggests that angiography guided by intravascular fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement improves outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention compared to angiography alone, according to new practice guidelines from the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions. The updated ACC/AHA/SCAI guidelines, published in the December issue of Circulation, elevate the level of evidence supporting FFR from Class IIa, Level B to Class IIa, Level A. FFR uses a sensor on a guidewire to measure the range of pressure across a coronary lesion to assess its severity, allowing clinicians to better decide which lesions to stent. The new guidelines cited the 2009 FAME study, showing multivessel PCI guided by FFR reduced deaths and heart attacks (1"The Gray Sheet" Oct. 5, 2009). FFR product maker Volcano (PrimeWire, FloWire and ComboWire XT) says the new guidelines should boost physician use of the procedure