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Updated: Feb 28, 2026
Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Assessment of various parameters using simple non-invasive tests in patients with cardiovascular diseases with or
Takashi Ueda1, Shin-Ichiro Miura1,2, Kanta Fujimi1,3
1Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Insights
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) significantly improves cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure and enhancing arterial function. Simple, non-invasive tests can effectively monitor these positive changes in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Preventive Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is vital for improving cardiovascular disease (CVD) patient outcomes.
- Physicians require simple, non-invasive methods to assess CR effectiveness in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of simple, non-invasive tests in assessing the impact of CR on CVD patients.
- To compare physiological and autonomic function changes between CR and non-CR groups over three months.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study comparing 46 CR patients with 18 matched non-CR controls over 3 months.
- Utilized non-invasive tests: PASESA® for atherosclerosis (API), eHEART® for autonomic activity (CVRR), and nico® for hemodynamic parameters.
- Measured systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic BP, heart rate, API, and CVRR at baseline and 3-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- The CR group showed significant decreases in SBP, diastolic BP, heart rate, and API, alongside an increased CVRR.
- No significant changes were observed in the non-CR group for these parameters.
- A positive association was found between changes in API and SBP within the CR group.
Conclusions:
- CR effectively reduces blood pressure, improves atherosclerosis markers, and enhances sympathetic nerve activity.
- Simple, non-invasive tests demonstrate potential for monitoring CR efficacy in CVD patients.
- These methods offer a practical approach for physicians to assess CR benefits in the examination room.
Abstract:
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves cardiac function and exercise capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Simpler techniques are needed for use by physicians in the examination room to assess the usefulness of CR. We enrolled 46 consecutive CVD patients in a CR program (CR group) and prospectively followed them for 3 months. We compared them to 18 age-, gender- and body mass index-matched CVD patients without CR (non-CR group). Various parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months using 3 simple non-invasive tests: severity of atherosclerosis [arterial velocity pulse index and arterial pressure volume index (API)] were determined using PASESA®, an autonomic nerve total activity amount index and a coefficient of variation of the R-R interval (CVRR) were determined using eHEART®, and peripheral resistance index, pressure rate product, stroke volume and cardiac index were determined using nico®]. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics including percentages (%) of ischemic heart disease and heart failure between the non-CR and CR groups. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic BP, heart rate and API at baseline significantly decreased and CVRR at baseline significantly increased after 3 months in the CR group, but not in the non-CR group. In addition, ΔAPI (Δ = the value after 3 months minus the value at baseline) was positively associated with ΔSBP in the CR group. In conclusion, CR significantly decreased BP and improved atherosclerosis and sympathetic nerve activity. These findings suggest that simple non-invasive tests may be useful for assessing the effects of CR.
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