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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Functional assessment of multivessel coronary artery disease: ischemia-guided percutaneous coronary intervention
Jonathan G Schwartz1, William F Fearon
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Insights
Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement provides a functional assessment of coronary artery disease, guiding revascularization to reduce adverse outcomes. FFR-guided treatment improves patient results compared to standard angiography alone.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Imaging
Background:
- Coronary angiography is the traditional method for evaluating coronary artery disease (CAD) and guiding revascularization.
- Fractional flow reserve (FFR) offers a functional assessment of coronary lesions, complementing anatomical information from angiography.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence supporting FFR-guided management of multivessel CAD.
- To highlight the benefits of integrating functional ischemia assessment into treatment decisions.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical studies and evidence on FFR utilization in CAD.
- Analysis of outcomes comparing FFR-guided revascularization versus standard angiography.
Main Results:
- FFR-guided revascularization leads to fewer adverse events, including angina, myocardial infarction, and mortality.
- Ischemic lesions identified by FFR are associated with higher adverse event rates when managed medically compared to non-ischemic lesions.
Conclusions:
- FFR measurement is crucial for accurate lesion assessment and guides optimal revascularization strategies in multivessel CAD.
- Combining anatomical and functional assessments, like the Functional SYNTAX Score, enhances therapeutic decision-making for complex CAD patients.
Abstract:
Invasive evaluation and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) has traditionally been based upon coronary angiography to determine the need for and the success of revascularization. However, coronary angiography augmented with fractional flow reserve (FFR) creates a paradigm shift, providing a more complete functional assessment of coronary lesions. Measuring FFR to identify ischemic lesions and guide revascularization results in fewer adverse outcomes, including persistent angina, myocardial infarction, and mortality. An ischemic lesion identified by FFR is more likely to lead to adverse events when compared with an angiographically similar lesion with nonischemic FFR when both are treated medically. Although the mechanism explaining this is unclear, it is likely multifactorial, including the impact of mechanical forces, upregulation of inflammatory mediators, and the amount of distal myocardial tissue at risk. Using both anatomic and ischemia-guided assessments (such as the Functional SYNTAX Score) aids in the therapeutic decision-making process in patients with multivessel CAD. This review focuses on the evidence for FFR-guided management of multivessel CAD.
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