Does Routine Pressure Wire Assessment Influence Management Strategy at Coronary Angiography for Diagnosis of Chest Pain?

Detailed Summary

The use of coronary angiography to investigate patients at risk of coronary artery narrowings has become universal. In most cases, this investigation leads to a successful treatment plan with revascularisation recommended where appropriate. However in a substantial number of patients, the images taken of the coronary arteries can lead to diagnostic uncertainty. Increasingly, doctors are using devices called pressure wires to clarify the significance of coronary artery narrowings in order to tailor patient treatment on an individual basis. The Radi pressure wire is well recognised as a reliable tool in assessing whether a narrowing is significant in functional terms, that is, does it significantly restrict blood flow to the heart muscle.It consists of a fine wire that is fed into individual major coronary arteries to measure pressure within the vessel itself. In conjunction with the images taken of the arteries, it is very useful in deciding how best to treat patients. This study enrolls volunteers who are being investigated for stable cardiac-sounding chest pain and are undergoing a coronary angiogram. It will investigate whether the extra information gained from pressure wire assessment will change patients' treatment plan.

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