Fredericksburg Parent

26 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • August 2021 INTERVIEWED BY EMILY FREEHLING We all depend on our hearts to pump oxygen and nutrients throughout our bodies. When the heart muscle can't keep up with the workload needed to keep blood moving, the body compensates with a series of reac ons that eventually lead to fa gue, shortness of breath and a reduced quality of life.This is called heart failure, a chronic condi on that aff ects an es mated 6.2 million American adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven on. Heart failure pa ents typically learn of their condi on when symptoms such as shortness of breath, conges on due to fl uid buildup around the heart, fa gue and diffi culty performing nor- mal ac vi es send them to the hospital. A er diagnosis, the condi on is managed through a combina- on of medica on, diet, and other lifestyle changes, but many heart failure pa ents experience repeated hospitaliza ons as the progression of their condi on outpaces their treatment plan. Mary Washington Healthcare's comprehensive heart failure pro- gram seeks to help these pa ents successfully manage their con- di on. The program now has a treatment op on that can help pa ents and their care teams take a more proac ve approach to trea ng heart failure. The CardioMEMS device is the only FDA-approved pulmonary artery sensor that allows for the remote monitoring of pressure within the heart. CardioMEMS implant allows for remote monitoring leading to proactive treatment for heart failure patients It's a paperclip-sized wireless sensor that is inserted into a pa- ent's pulmonary artery in a procedure that takes about an hour, with local anesthe c, in Mary Washington Hospital's cardiac catheteriza on labs. The device emits a frequency that can be detected by a home unit the size of a standard pillow. The pa ent lays on the unit every morning, and the device transmits readings of the pressure levels within the heart. This informa on, when sent daily to a pa ent's care team, al- lows doctors to adjust treatment in real- me—before worsening symptoms lead to a trip to the hospital. A recent clinical trial found that remote monitoring technology reduced heart-failure hospital admissions by up to 58%. Overall, remote monitoring allows for be er management of heart failure and improved quality of life for pa ents. Photo courtesy of Abbott Cardiovascular. New Medical Device Acts Like a "Weather Forecast" For the Heart Sponsored Material

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