Annually, 300,000 people in the U.S. die from heart failure complications.  By the time symptoms of worsening disease develop, patients may require hospitalization for treatment. Researchers are testing an implantable wireless sensor that monitors pressure inside the pulmonary artery.

Heart Failure
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body’s tissues. It can affect the right side of the heart, the left side or both sides. In right-sided heart failure, the heart can’t effectively pump blood to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen. In left-sided heart failure, the heart can’t pump enough oxygenated blood to the body. Patients may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, cough and swelling in the legs, ankles and abdomen.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute estimates heart failure affects 5 million Americans. Annually, about 550,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. and 300,000 people die from heart failure complications. The condition is more common in men, people over 65, African Americans and people who are overweight. The most common causes of heart failure are coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Monitoring Heart Failure
The goals of treatment for heart failure are to reduce symptoms or prevent them from becoming worse, improve quality of life and increase the patient’s lifespan. Therapy may involve lifestyle changes (like a healthy diet, losing weight, following a recommended exercise program and stopping smoking), control of underlying diseases, medications to improve blood flow or reduce workload on the heart, and/or surgery.

Amish Desai, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist with Swedish Heart & Vascular Clinic in Seattle, says an important component of heart failure management is monitoring of fluid levels in the body. If the tissues retain too much fluid, the heart must work harder to pump blood to the lungs and to the body. In turn, that leads to symptoms, like shortness of breath and swelling in the legs and ankles. By the time the symptoms appear, the patient may require hospitalization.

A Wireless Implant
Researchers are now testing an implantable device, made by CardioMEMS™, Inc., that may improve the ability of a physician to monitor heart failure patients. To place the device, a catheter is inserted through the femoral vein. Then, using X-rays for guidance, it’s snaked through the circulatory system up to the heart, then to the pulmonary artery (the main artery carrying oxygen-depleted blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs). Once placement is confirmed, the device is tested to ensure it is working and capable of transmitting the pressure of blood inside the pulmonary artery. If everything checks out, the sensor is permanently implanted and the catheter withdrawn. According to Desai the procedure only takes about one hour. Patients are given local anesthesia for the leg incision and are able to go home the next day.

Once at home, a pressure reading is taken every morning. The patient lies on a bed and places a device, called a transducer, on the pillow. The pressure information from the implanted sensor is transmitted to the transducer, then sent over the internet to a database, enabling the physician to access the information.

Desai says with the implanted sensor, doctors can see immediately if there are any changes in pressure, which would reflect changes in fluid volume. Small changes can be managed (often with medications or dietary adaptations) before the patient retains a significant amount of fluid or shows any symptoms. Ideally, the system will reduce the need for office visits, emergency room visits and hospitalization.

The CardioMEMS sensor for heart failure is currently under study. The trial is called, CHAMPION (CardioMEMS Heart Sensor Allows Monitoring of Pressure to Improve Outcomes in NYHA Class III Patients), and will involve 550 patients at 58 medical centers across the country.

AUDIENCE INQUIRY
For information about the CardioMEMS™ wireless pressure sensor, go to http://www.cardiomems.com

For general information on heart failure:
American Heart Association, http://www.americanheart.org
Heart Failure Online, http://www.heartfailure.org
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Research compiled and edited by Barbara J. Fister

© 2009 Medstar Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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