Tiny microchip inside the heart monitors vitals remotely before heart failure symptoms strike 
Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 2, 2015 — Cardiologists at Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute began today implanting tiny, microchip sensors in patients with advanced heart failure to better monitor symptoms and reduce patients’ chances of returning to the hospital. The implantable sensor, called CardioMEMS HF System, is the nation’s first and only Food and Drug Approved wireless heart failure monitor that has been shown to reduce hospital readmissions and improve quality of life for many heart failure patients.
The CardioMEMS HF System is a dime-sized device placed directly inside the heart to monitor its pulmonary artery. Once implanted during a minimally-invasive catheter procedure, the inch-long wireless transmitter can detect information about subtle changes in pulmonary artery pressure, an early sign of worsening heart failure. The system allows patients to transmit daily sensor readings from their homes to the medical team to access and review. Monitoring this data in real time allows doctors to proactively manage treatment and reduce the likelihood of hospital readmissions, a growing trend for this high-risk patient population. The device has been shown in clinical trials to reduce hospital readmissions by up to 37 percent.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands and blood pressure within the heart is elevated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 5.1 million Americans have heart failure, with 670,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Patients with heart failure are frequently hospitalized, have a reduced quality of life and face a higher risk of death.
“This remarkable technology enables physicians to closely monitor patients daily for the earliest signs of fluid retention, a major cause of the symptoms of breathlessness and tiredness that heart failure patients experience,” said Dr. Robert Iwaoka, a cardiologist who performs the procedure. “In doing so, we are able to proactively adjust therapies and minimize the number of times heart failure patients have to be admitted to the hospital.”
The CardioMEMS HF System, developed by St. Jude Medical, is the first of its kind and was FDA-approved in 2014. The sensor is designed to last the lifetime of the patient and doesn’t require batteries. The procedure takes less than an hour to perform, there is typically no overnight stay, and patients can quickly resume their normal life.
About Novant Health
Novant Health is a four-state integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to our communities. Novant Health consists of more than 1,200 physicians and 25,000 employees who make healthcare remarkable at nearly 500 locations, including 14 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for patients and communities, serving more than 4 million patients annually. In 2014, Novant Health provided more than $639 million in community benefit including charity care and services. Novant Health is ranked as one of the nation’s top 20 integrated delivery networks by IMS Health.
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