Philips announces inclusion of iFR into ESC’s updated revascularization guidelines

Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, today announced that the European Society of Cardiology has incorporated instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) into its updated revascularization guidelines. The new guidelines have provided the highest recommendation (class I A) for iFR alongside fractional flow reserve (FFR) for the objective assessment of the hemodynamic relevance of coronary lesions. In 2017, the DEFINE-FLAIR and iFR Swedeheart studies, the largest randomized coronary physiology outcome studies published to date, showcased iFR as a non-inferior method to FFR during risk stratification in coronary stenosis. iFR is an innovative pressure-derived index unique to Philips, allowing a simplified hyperemia-free physiological assessment of coronary blockages to identify the appropriate therapy for each patient.

iFR is an innovative pressure-derived index unique to Philips.

“We welcome the inclusion of iFR into the ESC’s revascularization guidelines,” said Bert van Meurs, Business Leader Image Guided Therapy at Philips. “The DEFINE-FLAIR and iFR Swedeheart studies have provided significant clinical validation of iFR, which has been shown to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs and increase patient comfort for the treatment of coronary artery disease in comparison to an FFR-guided strategy. As a leader in image-guided therapy we provide solutions that confirm the right therapy for each patient, supporting improved outcomes.”

Procedure tailored for patient care

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) causes the highest rate of disability and death compared to any other illness in the world and also incurs the greatest economic costs. Of the approximately 17.7 million people who died from cardiovascular diseases globally in 2015, a total of 7.4 million were a result of coronary heart disease. Philips began offering iFR technology as an alternative to FFR in 2013 in Europe and 2014 in the US. It has since become a prevalent method for the assessment of lesions. The technology offers a procedure that provides functional measurement while reducing patient discomfort by 90 percent, reducing costs by approximately 10 percent per patient over a one-year average and reducing time spent in the lab by 10 percent.

Building a seamless cardiovascular care ecosystem

Healthcare providers have a heightened focus on providing the highest quality care while managing their operational costs. Philips has recognized this need and developed an integrated portfolio of products and solutions that enables healthcare providers to improve diagnosis and care for cardiovascular patients. Philips is continuing to identify opportunities to build cardiovascular healthcare models that drive improved treatment and outcomes, simplify data gathering, reduce costs and improve patient care through innovative care and pathway management.