Purpose of review: Heart failure (HF) remains a significant burden to our healthcare system and a leading cause of hospitalizations. Current reactive strategies to treat and manage HF have failed to reduce hospitalizations and improve survival. The CardioMEMS device has recently been demonstrated to improve quality of life in HF and reduce HF-related hospitalizations. Current HF management strategies are reviewed with a particular emphasis on the current role of the CardioMEMS device.
Recent findings: The CHAMPION trial is the only randomized trial looking at the CardioMEMS device. Patients managed with targeted pulmonary artery pressures resulted in 28% reduction in the primary end-point of HF-related hospitalization at 6 months (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.85, p = 0.0002) and 37% reduction during the entire follow-up period, which averaged 15 months (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52-0.77, p < 0.0001). The prospective open-label post-approval study recently presented a 58% reduction in HF hospitalizations per patient year (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.38-0.47, p < 0.0001). Management of HF using the CardioMEMS device has been shown to reduce HF hospitalizations and improve quality of life regardless of ejection fraction. Patients best suited for this device are those with recurrent congestive symptoms despite optimal medical therapy.
Keywords: CardioMEMS; Heart failure; Implantable hemodynamic monitor; Pulmonary artery pressure.