When Does a Heart Blockage Need a Stent?

 When Does a Heart Blockage Need a Stent? Introduction                                                        Image from The Keyhole clinic (2021) Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart and causing ischemia. CAD can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, heart attacks, and other serious complications. One treatment for these blockages blockages is percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a procedure that opens a closed off artery, often using a stent. However, not every blockage requires a stent. Researchers have been studying whether measuring how much a blockage actually limits blood flow can help doctors make better treatment decisions. A recent long term study examined whether using fractional flow reserve (FFR) to guide PCI improves...