A 73-year old male lifelong Riverbend region resident is the first patient of the Heart Center at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center to receive the CardioMEMS™ HF System, a new implantable, wireless monitoring sensor to manage heart failure (HF).
The Abbott CardioMEMS™ HF System is the first and only FDA-approved heart failure monitoring device that has been clinically proven to significantly reduce hospital admissions when used by physicians to manage heart failure.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Heart Failure Society of American (HFSA):
- 6.5 million adults in the United States have heart failure
- Approximately 600,000 patients have enhanced heart failure
- More than 350,000 deaths are attributed to heart failure annually in the United States
“Heart failure is a chronic debilitating condition that worsens over time. Typically, heart failure is caused by heart damage from a heart attack, longstanding untreated high blood pressure, valvular heart disease and other forms of heart disease that leads to fluid accumulation in the lungs,” says Dennis M. Sands, M.D. chief medical officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Birth defects also can also play a role. Left untreated, the lack of adequate blood flow causes the organs to progressively fail, resulting in numerous medical complications that erode a person’s quality of life and often leads to death.”
The Abbott CardioMEMS™ HF System implantation procedure was led by Kishore Harjai, M.D., chair, Department of Cardiology, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, Professor of Cardiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Harjai, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, specializes in structural and interventional cardiology. He offers a range of advanced procedures – surgical and non-surgical care options – including TAVR, a minimally invasive valve replacement procedure, the latest in atrial fibrillation care, and complex coronary stenting.
“A strong cardiology services specialty program is vital to any hospital of any size, no matter its geographic location,” says Zach Yoder, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, president, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “By fully embracing our meaningful collaboration with SLUCare Physician Group, we’re able to bring exceptional medical and surgical cardiologists to the Riverbend region. Doing so ensures that residents have more convenient access to high-quality, sustainable, and innovative cardiac care.”
OSF Saint Anthony’s and SSM Health share a commitment to deliver high-quality, compassionate, and affordable care to Riverbend region communities.
There are two main types of heart failure. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction occurs when the heart muscle is not able to pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in your body, while heart failure with preserved ejection fraction occurs when the heart muscle appears to be squeezing normally, but other factors cause fluid buildup. Either condition can cause heart failure symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, palpitations, leg or belly swelling, fatigue and weakness, weight gain.
In the time leading up to the implant procedure being conducted, the 73-year-old male’s body and legs would retain water and then he would have to be admitted, and go through the process of getting the water weight off his body through an IV and extra medications until he could be discharged.
This situation played out on several occasions for the patient.
The CardioMEMS™ HF System provides pulmonary artery (PA) pressure remote monitoring using a small sensor about the size of a small paperclip. Permanently implanted in the distal pulmonary artery via a minimally invasive safe right heart catheterization procedure, the sensor measures changes in pulmonary artery pressure.
These changes can foretell worsening fluid retention in the lungs and thereby predict an upcoming episode of heart failure which allows earlier intervention.
Patient-initiated sensor readings, taken daily from their homes, are wirelessly transmitted to a secure website for clinicians to access and review. Directly monitoring PA pressure not only alerts a provider if a patient’s heart failure is worsening, it also allows a provider to intervene earlier, adjusting medication or making other treatment changes, often before the patient experiences any symptoms.
The CardioMEMS remote monitoring system is approved for patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III heart failure (defined as inabilities to perform activities of daily living without symptoms) and who have been hospitalized for heart failure in the previous year.
Ever since the procedure was successfully completed in late January, the 73-year-old patient lays on a pillow and the device takes a reading and sends it to his cardiology service team – led by Laurinda Harjai, DNP, FNP, RN-BC, OSF Medical Group – Cardiology (Alton) - who can then adjust his medications and prevent him from having to go back to the Emergency Department at OSF Saint Anthony’s.
“Best of all, the patient has not had one trip back to our Emergency Department - what a blessing that has been and made life easier for him,” says Dr. Sands.
In recognition of February annually known as American Heart Month, more information about cardiology services at OSF Saint Anthony’s can be obtained by visiting www.osfsaintanthonys.org.