Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
06:32
Evaluation of Coronary Flow Reserve After Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion in Rats
Published on: June 28, 2019
Coronary Flow Reserve in Adults: Pathophysiology, Assessment Modalities, Clinical Applications, and Prognostic
Konstantinos Katogiannis1, Jimmy T Efird2,3, Artur Dziewierz4,5
12nd Cardiology Department, General Hospital "Attikon", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece.
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Coronary flow reserve (CFR) measures blood flow in the heart. Reduced CFR indicates microcirculation issues and predicts major adverse cardiovascular events, guiding personalized treatment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Physiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is a key physiological index assessing total coronary circulation.
- Reduced CFR is linked to microvascular dysfunction in various conditions like hypertension and cardiomyopathies.
- Non-invasive CFR assessment aids in evaluating coronary artery disease and microcirculation status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of CFR in cardiovascular health.
- To discuss the diagnostic and prognostic value of CFR.
- To emphasize CFR's role in guiding therapeutic decisions.
Main Methods:
- CFR is assessed invasively (Doppler guidewire, thermodilution) and non-invasively (echocardiography, PET, CMR, CT, SPECT).
- Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) is a valuable non-invasive method.
- Demographic factors like age, sex, and ethnicity influence CFR levels.
Main Results:
- Impaired CFR is a strong predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs).
- Reduced CFR is observed across diverse conditions including obstructive CAD, INOCAs, heart failure, and systemic diseases.
- CFR aids in risk stratification and guides revascularization and pharmacological interventions.
Conclusions:
- CFR assessment is crucial for personalized, physiology-based cardiovascular care.
- Integrating CFR into clinical practice, supported by guidelines, enhances patient management.
- CFR evaluation shifts focus towards individualized treatment strategies.
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