Hackensack University Medical Center Becomes First in New Jersey to Offer New Procedure to Diagnose Heart Disease in Small Blood Vessels

Interventional cardiologists at Hackensack University Medical Center are the first in the state to employ a novel method to assess the health of smaller arteries in the heart and pinpoint microvascular disease, which until now has presented a diagnostic challenge. Doctors use the Coroventisǂ CoroFlowǂ Cardiovascular System during coronary angiography to evaluate key measures of heart function and diagnose or rule out cardiac small vessel disease in people with symptoms such as chest pain — especially those with no evidence of significant blockages in the major coronary arteries.

Microvascular disease affects the inner lining and walls of very small blood vessels that branch off of the coronary arteries. Often these tiny conduits may not have plaque, but the damage from microvascular disease can cause spasms and reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to heart muscle. Small vessel heart disease is more common in women and men and can cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue. It is typically treated with medication, including drugs that may be different than those used to treat heart disease in larger blood vessels, as well as lifestyle modifications such as exercise and a healthy diet.

However, microvascular disease has been difficult to diagnose accurately and is not as easy to visualize during cardiac catheterization as atherosclerotic plaque in the major coronary arteries. The CoroFlow system is a wireless device used in conjunction with Abbott's PressureWire™ X Guidewire. It generates hemodynamic data measuring the function of the epicardium (the outermost layer of the lining of the heart), the small blood vessels, and the ventricles (the heart's largest pumping chambers).

“The CoroFlow Cardiovascular System is a revolutionary diagnostic tool that’s only available at a handful of U.S. heart centers, including at Hackensack University Medical Center,” said Hackensack interventional cardiologist Ankitkumar Patel, MD. “It allows us to diagnose coronary microvascular dysfunction caused by invisible blockages in the heart’s smallest arteries.”

Since first using the System in March, Hackensack University Medical Center physicians have done more than 50 cases with it.

"With CoroFlow, we can accurately diagnose the presence or absence of microvascular disease, identify the causes of a patient's symptoms, and determine the best treatment to relieve discomfort and improve quality of life and heart health," said Dr. Patel. Among the first patients in which CoroFlow was used, Dr. Patel and his team confirmed or ruled out microvascular disease as the cause of chest pain, enabling them to match patients with the most effective therapies or refer them for diagnostic testing for other illnesses, such as acid reflux or a respiratory problem.

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons for people to see their primary care physician, visit a cardiologist, or go to the emergency room. Without a diagnosis, patients often return to doctors or ERs repeatedly, searching for the cause of their discomfort. For many people with unexplained chest pain, CoroFlow can provide an answer they previously did not have and confirm that what they have been feeling is something real — and treatable. “By the time a patient leaves the catheterization lab after CoroFlow, they have a definitive answer about whether or not their chest pain is due to a heart problem,” explained Dr. Patel. “That’s profoundly powerful for patients, because not knowing and not having a treatment plan can be the worst part of any medical complaint.”

"Now that we have this novel technology to make the diagnosis of microvascular disease, we’ll be able to study this condition further and come up with better treatments," he continued. "This enables Hackensack to be at the forefront of cardiology. Our ability to offer this procedure to our patients is another example of our commitment to providing heart care to the people of New Jersey and surrounding areas using the most advanced techniques."

Learn more about heart care at Hackensack University Medical Center. To make an appointment, please call 844-HMH-WELL.