Device Therapy for CHF:

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator. When the heart is failing deadly heart rhythms of electrical patterns can develop. Special electrical cardiac specialists or electrophysiology cardiologists may intervene and implant a defibrillator underneath the skin and with pacemaker wires inside or outside of the heart. A defibrillator will shock the heart back into normal rhythm of a deadly rhythm occurs.  

Cardiac resynchronization therapy.  Cardiac resynchronization therapy or CRT is used when a failing heart develops an abnormal pattern of electrical activation. CRT utilizes three wires attached to a pacemaker or pacemaker defibrillator to restore a more normal sequence of electrical activation.  

Cardiomems.  Cardiomems heart failure system is a small monitoring device that is implanted inside the lung to monitor heart pressures. A failing hart will Cause lung pressures to increase. The earliest sign that the heat is failing and fluid is about to start accumulating is a rise in the heart pressures. The cardiomems device can detect this early change and send a wireless or telephone signal to you’re management team that pressures are increasing. This will prompt our team of nurses and or physicians to call u and alter medications to decrease the pressure. This therapy has been shown to reduce the need for hospital admission and in come cases help people live longer and better.  

Mechanical circulatory support devices. When all medicines and other implantable devices have failed to improve heart function and fluid overload continues it may be necessary to have an evaluation by an advanced heart failure specialist. This specialist, with the help of a cardiac surgical team, can determine the need for and implant a circulatory support device to one or both chambers of the heart to restore more normal circulation.  

Cardiac replacement or cardiac transplantation. In very rare cases are advanced heart failure patients blessed to receive a heart transplant. When medicines and devices are failing an evaluation by an advanced heart failure cardiologist and transplant team is necessary to determine suitability for listing for heart transplant