Coronary Plaque Regression and Fractional Flow Reserve Improvement in a Chronic Coronary Syndrome Case: Early Optimal Medical Therapy and Fractional Flow Reserve-Computed Tomography Follow-Up Strategy
<b>Background:</b> Optimal medical therapy (OMT) is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone in managing chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), offering a non-invasive alternative to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). <b>Case Presentation:</b> A 38-year-old male with diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension was treated with early and comprehensive OMT, including statins, ezetimibe, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), pioglitazone, and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. Insulin was introduced during the acute phase to stabilize glycemic control. His HbA1c decreased to 6.3% within 4 months. <b>Results:</b> Over 8 months, the patient experienced a reduction in coronary plaque burden and an improvement in fractional flow reserve (FFR) from 0.75 to 0.90, indicating enhanced coronary blood flow. Plaque volume burden decreased from 85% to 52% in key coronary segments. <b>Conclusions:</b> This case highlights the effectiveness of OMT, including statins, ezetimibe, SGLT2i, and pioglitazone, in achieving outcomes comparable to PCI. FFR-computed tomography follow-up is critical in guiding treatment decisions. Continued OMT is recommended if plaque stabilization is observed. If no improvement is observed, OMT should be intensified, and PCI considered as appropriate.
Authors
- Naoyuki Kawagoe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8644-8583)
- Raisuke Iijima
- Hidehiko Hara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2501-4663)
- Toru Awaya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7154-3606)
- Taeko Kunimasa
- Yutaka Yoshimitsu
Institutions
- Toho University (JP)
- Toho University Ohashi Medical Center (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Diseases
- Published
- 2024-11-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12110297
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.81