Being informed about coronary artery disease (CAD) and FFRangio is the first step toward getting the right care.
Clear Information for the Right Treatment Decision
Do I Need a Coronary Stent?
Research reveals that almost 1 in 3 patients receiving a stent may not have needed one.1
The CathWorks FFRangio System—a new state-of-the-art diagnostic tool—helps your doctor find the right treatment option for your coronary artery disease (CAD), including whether you need a stent.
How Does FFRangio Work?
While diagnosing your condition, your doctor may recommend an angiogram (a series of 2-dimensional black and white X-ray images of your heart’s arteries).
The FFRangio System uses the angiogram images to create a digital 3D picture of your arteries.
The 3D picture is computer-analyzed and color-coded to clearly show areas that may be blocking blood flow.
This important information can help your doctor understand your blockages and determine the best treatment plan for you, including whether to place a coronary stent.
*Adding an FFRangio analysis to your angiogram comes with no additional procedures or risk — it is technology that works with your scheduled angiogram procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Coronary Artery Disease?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) develops when the blood vessels that supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your heart (coronary arteries) become diseased and narrowed, often leading to a decrease in blood flow to your heart.2
The most common symptoms of CAD include chest pain, pressure or tightness, and shortness of breath. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack. Sometimes there are no symptoms.2
CAD is the most common type of heart disease, affecting more than 16 million Americans.3
What Are Treatment Options For Coronary Artery Disease?
Treatment for CAD usually includes lifestyle changes, medications, and, if necessary, medical procedures.4
Lifestyle changes often include quitting smoking, exercising, controlling weight, eating healthy, and reducing stress.
Medications may include cholesterol-modifying medications, blood thinners, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and medications to control chest pain.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), sometimes called angioplasty with a stent, is a minimally invasive procedure. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a catheter (long, thin tube) into the narrowed part of your artery. A wire with a deflated balloon is inflated to push the blockage aside. Often, a coronary stent—a small, metal structure—is placed in your artery to help keep your narrowed artery open.
Bypass surgery is usually reserved for patients with multiple narrowed arteries. In this procedure, the surgeon takes a blood vessel from another part of the body and creates a graft to bypass the blocked artery. This allows blood to flow around the obstruction.
How Do Doctors Decide If I Need A Coronary Stent?
If you have symptoms of CAD, a coronary angiogram may be used to determine if there is a blockage in your coronary artery. An angiogram is a diagnostic procedure that uses X-rays to make the coronary arteries visible on a screen.5
The doctor then visually reviews the images to assess the severity of the narrowing and decide the best treatment option – whether it is lifestyle changes and medications, or if PCI or surgery is needed. Angiograms are 2D, black and white images, which can make it difficult to see how narrowed an artery is.
Angiograms are also unable to tell how much blood flow is being blocked. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows angiograms result in stenting significantly more than is needed.1
How Can The FFRangio System Help?
Getting a coronary stent is an important decision. A stent may be helpful for some but may be unnecessary for others. The CathWorks FFRangio™ system is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that works with the angiogram images to create a 3D model of the arteries. A powerful computer then evaluates the 3D model for blockages that may need treatment.
Combining angiogram images with the FFRangio System gives your doctor the information needed to make the best treatment decision, including whether a coronary stent is needed. And since FFRangio works with your scheduled angiogram procedure, the use of FFRangio comes with no additional procedures or risk.
Get information and answers to questions about coronary artery disease and FFRangio.
CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) FACT SHEET
The fact sheet includes important information about CAD, including common symptoms, treatment options, and what to expect.