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Echocardiographic assessment of coronary flow velocity and coronary flow velocity reserve in ischemic cardiac disease

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Abstract

Noninvasive measurement of coronary flow velocity (CFV) using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography has become increasingly popular in clinical cardiology due to its simplicity, versatility, and high feasibility. Baseline CFV profile provides much useful information regarding the prediction of severe proximal coronary stenosis and residual myocardial viability. Calculation of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) provides an objective cutoff value (CFVR < 2) to predict the presence of functionally significant coronary stenosis proximal to the recording site. This approach is especially useful in patients with intermediate stenosis and those who have undergone percutaneous coronary interventions. In some cases, CFVR measurements may also predict future cardiac events. This article reviews CFV/CFVR measurement and its clinically relevant value using echocardiography.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan

    Masaaki Takeuchi

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  1. Masaaki Takeuchi
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  2. Yutaka Otsuji
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  3. Roberto M. Lang
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Correspondence to Masaaki Takeuchi.

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Takeuchi, M., Otsuji, Y. & Lang, R.M. Echocardiographic assessment of coronary flow velocity and coronary flow velocity reserve in ischemic cardiac disease. curr cardiovasc imaging rep 1, 49–57 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-008-0009-y

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