Statistics show that 432,943 Thai people are diagnosed with heart disease each year and that the most common cause of heart disease relates to the coronary arteries. The frightening thing about this disease is not only its sudden onset that makes it seem like your life is hanging by a thread but also its treatments such as balloon angioplasty that can cause side effects in patients. As a result, groundbreaking techniques have been developed to help make balloon angioplasty safer for patients.

FFR (Fractional Flow Reserve) – Preliminary Assessment to Avoid Unnecessary Angioplasty
Currently, a new device has been invented to help contribute to many treatments. Known as “Fractional Flow Reserve” or “FFR”, it is a tool used to determine whether obstructive coronary artery has actually occurred. FFR is the most accurate and precise method for identifying the severity of obstructive coronary artery disease today, because coronary angiogram (CAG) alone cannot tell the extent to which the particular coronary artery where obstruction has occurred supplies blood to the heart muscles and whether or not ischemia or myocardial infarction has occurred. Accordingly, the treatments for these 2 conditions differ, and because FFR allows you to identify which condition has occurred and whether or not balloon angioplasty should be administered to dilate the artery, it can help ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment with fewer instances of unnecessary balloon angioplasty.

However, if balloon angioplasty is necessary, risks can be reduced by using the OCT technique.
Advances today have led to the adoption of modern technologies and devices like the OCT (optical coherence tomography) machine to help provide doctors with knowledge about the actual sizes of arteries and the extent of the disease in order to allow selection of coronary stents with the right sizes and lengths. It can also assess the appropriate location for stent placement, for example, not in a location where the arterial walls are thin or where there are signs of other diseases that might lead to complications should a stent be placed at the site. It also makes it possible to determine the characteristic of the disease such as whether or not has a lipid, calcium or fibrous composition in order to enable selecting of the most suitable treatment options. Furthermore, the OCT device can also be used to assess the condition of the arteries around the edges of the stent to determine whether or not tearing or clotting accumulation has occurred. It can be used to assess expansion or attachment of the stent to find out whether or not it is as effective or sufficiently expanded according to its specifications. In conclusion, the OCT device ensures that the treatment for coronary arteries will be an appropriate treatment and being safe from potential complications.
Even though cardiovascular diseases can be treated, to prevent and reduce any risks should be the best choice as it’s easier and safer. To raise awareness regarding the heart diseases and enlighten on self-care either exercising, healthy eating, reducing or stopping sweetened, salty or oily foods and quitting smoking should help reduce the number of cardiovascular patients.