Stamford Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute is the first program in Connecticut to offer the CardioMEMS™ HF System, the nation’s first and only FDA-approved wireless heart failure monitor that has been shown to reduce readmissions and improve quality of life for many heart failure (HF) patients. The first CardioMEMS procedure was completed at Stamford Hospital on a patient with Class III congestive heart failure this summer.
We are pleased to offer CardioMEMS as another innovative option for our patients suffering from heart failure which will help improve their quality of life, said David Hsi, MD, Chair, Department of Cardiology and Co-Director, Heart & Vascular Institute, Stamford Hospital. The CardioMEMS system complements the broad cardiac services provided by our growing, world-renowned team of clinicians, technologists and surgeons.”
More than six million Americans suffer from congestive HF, a progressive disease that can make patients feel weak, tired or breathless and may cause congestion, or a build-up of fluid in the lungs. Patients with heart failure are frequently hospitalized, have a reduced quality of life and face a higher risk of death.
Created by St. Jude Medical, the CardioMEMS sensor is designed to last the lifetime of the patient and does not require an external power source. Once implanted in the pulmonary artery during a minimally-invasive catheter procedure, the inch-long wireless transmitter can detect and transmit information about very subtle changes in blood pressure. This data enables the cardiologist to address changes in a patient’s condition with medications, often weeks before more serious conditions could arise and require admission to the hospital.
In addition to the CardioMEMS technology, Stamford’s Heart & Vascular Institute offers access to many innovative, minimally-invasive procedures, including the recent addition of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). TAVR is a delicate procedure during which a malfunctioning heart valve is replaced without open surgery. The TAVR team is led by world-renowned interventional cardiologist Antonio Colombo, MD, best known for his innovative work in coronary stenting, structural heart disease treatment and peripheral vascular interventions. In addition to CardioMEMS and TAVR, the multidisciplinary Heart & Vascular Institute provides expertise in cardiology, cardiac surgery, vascular services, screening and diagnostics and cardiac rehabilitation. They also provide cardiovascular disease prevention and wellness with education programs designed to teach patients how to keep their cardiovascular systems healthy.