New Diagnostic Technology at OU Health Brings Hope To Thousands with Unexplained Chest Pain

Thousands of Oklahomans suffering from unexplained chest pain despite normal cardiac test results can now access breakthrough diagnostic technology at OU Health, offering new hope for proper diagnosis and treatment.

OU Health has become the first healthcare provider in Oklahoma to offer COROFLOW, a new diagnostic tool that can identify coronary microvascular disease (CMD), a condition that traditional tests often miss.

CMD affects the heart's smallest blood vessels and can cause serious complications if left untreated. It is estimated that up to 50% of people undergoing coronary angiography have no evidence of flow-limiting plaque in their arteries, yet many still experience symptoms of angina, or chest pain.

"Many patients, especially women, experience chronic chest pain but are told their hearts appear healthy because standard tests only examine the major arteries," said OU Health interventional cardiologist Dr. Mohit Pahuja, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. "COROFLOW allows us to evaluate the smaller blood vessels where the real problem may lie, leading to more accurate diagnoses and targeted treatments."

Coronary microvascular disease affects the heart's smallest blood vessels and can cause serious complications if left untreated. The condition is particularly common in women, who may experience repeated emergency room visits and ongoing symptoms without receiving an accurate diagnosis through conventional testing methods.

COROFLOW is a medical device used in a cardiac catheterization lab to measure blood flow in the heart's microvessels, primarily to diagnose Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction (CMD), a condition where the small blood vessels in the heart are not functioning properly. This condition can cause chest pain even without major blockages in the larger coronary arteries. COROFLOW also helps identify if the problem exists in the cell lining of the blood vessels.

The new diagnostic procedure is performed in OU Health's cardiac catheterization laboratory, where specialists use COROFLOW's advanced technology to examine blood flow through the heart's microscopic vessels by using specialized tests based on pressure and blood flow data collected via a thin coronary pressure wire. This detailed analysis helps identify problems that traditional cardiac catheterization and stress tests cannot detect.

The new tool is especially impactful for patients like Mary Ellen Drago-Dunaway, whose heart condition went undiagnosed for years. By using COROFLOW at OU Health, Dr. Pahuja diagnosed Drago-Dunaway with CMD, or small vessel disease. The bottom portion of her heart showed vessels that were unusually small, restricting blood flow in ways that standard tests had failed to detect.

“For years, doctors told me I was crazy,” she said. “Now, I don’t have the chest pains that I was having. I've been able to keep the house up, and I want to do things with the grandbabies now.”

By bringing this technology to Oklahoma, OU Health is addressing a critical gap in cardiac care, said Dr. Pahuja.

"Patients no longer need to travel out of state or continue suffering without answers,” he said. “We can now provide detailed diagnoses right here in Oklahoma that leads to more effective treatment plans."

Patients experiencing chest pain, who have had heart attacks despite having no major blockages or who have had normal results from standard cardiac tests are encouraged to consult their healthcare providers about a referral to OU Health for evaluation.

For more information, visit OUHealth.com or call (405) 271-7001.