FFR and iFR guided percutaneous coronary intervention

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Interventional Cardiology
• Physiological Indices

Background:

• Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gold standard for assessing coronary stenosis functional significance.
• FFR guides revascularization decisions, differentiating ischemic from non-ischemic lesions.
• FFR-guided strategies show superiority over angiography-guided approaches in major trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the concept and clinical utility of FFR.
• To review the concept and clinical utility of iFR.
• To discuss the ongoing scientific debate surrounding FFR and iFR in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of FFR and iFR concepts.
• Analysis of clinical evidence supporting FFR and iFR.
• Discussion of comparative studies and clinical implications.

Main Results:

• FFR is an established invasive index for ischemia assessment.
• FFR-guided revascularization is proven superior to angiography-guided methods.
• iFR is a resting-state index, distinct from FFR, prompting scientific discussion.

Conclusions:

• FFR remains the reference standard for functional stenosis assessment.
• FFR-guided revascularization offers better clinical outcomes.
• iFR presents an alternative physiological index with ongoing evaluation for clinical adoption.