Early detection is the best way to avoid heart disease, the number one killer in the United States and the main cause of serious complications like heart attack and stroke.
With three offices in Tampa and Lutz, Florida, Cardiovascular Institute of America offers coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) to assess your heart’s structure and function. Here, Muthu Velusamy, MD, FACC, ABVM, explains whether you may be a candidate for these cardiac tests.
Here’s a breakdown of CCTA and FFR:
CCTA is a noninvasive imaging test that uses a CT scanner and contrast dye to create detailed pictures of your heart and its blood vessels (coronary arteries).
Think of it like a high-resolution map that shows 3D images of blocked or narrowed arteries, plaque buildup (early or advanced), and your overall heart structure. CCTA is often used to screen for coronary artery disease (CAD), a major cause of heart attacks.
FFR inserts a catheter into your artery to measure how a blockage affects blood flow to your heart. It helps determine the severity of a blockage and how to best treat your condition to avoid complications.
CCTA and FFR can help our team assess or look for the following:
We can also use CCTA and FFR to look for the underlying cause of new or worsening symptoms, like shortness of breath, especially if other tests don’t provide enough information about the structure and function of your heart.
Dr. Velusamy may ask you to avoid foods and drinks before your scheduled CCTA. You might also need to avoid exercise and caffeine before your procedure.
During a CCTA, you lie down on a comfortable table. Your specialist places electrodes on your chest. These electrodes connect to an electrocardiograph monitor that records your heart’s signals. You also receive contrast material, or a medically safe dye, via an intravenous (IV) line.
The table you’re lying on then moves through a CT scanner, which creates internal images at various angles. There’s no downtime afterward.
As with a CCTA, you might need to avoid foods and drinks, along with certain medications, before your scheduled FFR procedure.
You receive a local anesthetic and your provider inserts a needle into your groin, neck, or arm and carefully threads a catheter into a coronary artery. They inject a liquid contrast dye through the catheter to make your coronary arteries easier to see.
Cardiac ultrasound imaging helps our team evaluate your blood flow. You might also need an angioplasty and stent placement to open any blocked or narrowed vessels.
You may need to rest for a few hours after an FFR or stay overnight in the surgery center if you undergo an angioplasty.
Dr. Velusamy meets with you to determine if you’re a candidate for a CCTA and/or FFR by discussing your medical history, lifestyle, medications, symptoms, and risk factors. After completing a physical exam, he may order blood tests and might recommend you first try stress testing, an electrocardiogram (EKG), or echocardiogram.
You may need heart function testing if you have significant heart disease risk factors or signs of a problem, such as chest pain and shortness of breath.
Take advantage of CCTA and FFR with Dr. Velusamy at one of our three Cardiovascular Institute of America Tampa-area locations: We have one office in Lutz and two offices in Tampa, Florida. Contact us by phone or book an appointment online today at your convenience.
