The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the U.K. has issued guidance on the use of cardiac software developer HeartFlow's fractional flow reserve (FFR) software to help determine the cause of stable chest pain in patients.
HeartFlowFFRct Analysis provides insight into both the extent of coronary artery disease and the effect the disease has on blood flow to the heart.
NICE recommends the software for patients with stable recent-onset chest pain, concluding the technology is safe, has a high level of diagnostic accuracy, and may avoid the need for invasive coronary angiography. When compared with all other tests, use of HeartFlowFFRct Analysis could save the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) approximately 214 pounds (252 euros) per patient by avoiding unnecessary invasive tests and treatment, according to NICE.
The guidelines follow those on chest pain issued by NICE in November 2016 recommending noninvasive coronary CT angiography as the initial diagnostic test for patients with stable chest pain. NICE now recommends HeartFlowFFRct Analysis as the most cost-effective option when additional information is needed by the clinician.
