Novel, implantable device 'could slow, reverse heart failure'

Around 50% of people who develop heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. But could a novel, implantable heart device change this? In a clinical trial, the C-Pulse - a cuff that wraps around the aorta and pumps blood from the heart around the body - has proved effective in reversing heart failure, even in some patients with severe cases.

The C-Pulse device - consisting of a cuff that wraps around the aorta and helps pump blood from the heart around the body - could slow or reverse heart failure, according to researchers.

The research team, led by Dr. William Abraham of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, publish their findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) Heart Failure.

  Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood and oxygen around the body to support other organs. Around 5.1 million people in the US have the condition.

There is no cure for heart failure, although there are medications to help manage symptoms. But Dr. Abraham notes such treatments are not always effective. "The optimal drug therapies we have today often aren't enough to manage this disease for some patients," he says, "so we are always looking for new types of therapies."

For their study, Dr. Abraham and his team implanted the C-Pulse device in 20 patients with either functional class III or ambulatory functional class IV heart failure, as defined by the New York Heart Association.

The device, developed by Sunshine Heart Inc., is an extra-aortic counterpulsation system. It consists of a cuff that is placed around the patient's aorta - the largest artery in the body - and is outside of the patient's bloodstream. The cuff is attached to a small balloon that inflates and deflates in sync with the patient's heartbeat. This pumps blood through the aorta and around the body.
 
According to the Sunshine Heart website, the device is designed to get more oxygen to the heart muscle, reduce the workload of the left ventricle in the heart, and increase blood flow from the heart.
A wire runs from the device through the abdomen to an external power pack called a "driver," which the patient wears. The driver can be battery powered or plugged in, and it can be disconnected temporarily to allow the patient to shower, for example, or carry out other short tasks where the pack may be inconvenient.

The C-Pulse can be implanted within 1 hour via a mini-thoracotomy (a small incision through the ribs) and a mini-sternotomy (a small incision through the sternum) or via a complete sternotomy.

C-Pulse 'effectively reversed heart failure' for some patients

The patients in the study were assessed 6 months and 1 year after device implantation. The team says that 16 of the 20 patients showed significant improvements in symptoms at both points in time.
Dr. Abraham says that three of the patients had mild or no symptoms of heart failure 1 year after implantation. "They went from class III or IV down to a functional class I, effectively reversing their heart failure," he adds.
 
The researchers also found that the patients were able to walk an average of 100 feet further, and the average quality of life score among patients improved by almost 30 points. "Drug and device therapies that are currently available for heart failure improve that same quality of life score by only five or 10 points," Dr. Abraham explains. "So, this is truly a significant improvement."
 
The researchers note that because the device is outside of the patient's bloodstream, none of them were hospitalized for stroke  thrombosis, sepsis or bleeding, which they say can be common among patients using left ventricular assist devices.

They point out, however, that a common side effect - occurring among 8 of the 20 patients - was infection of the device exit site. In future trials, the team notes that this side effect should be reduced with stricter guidelines for management of the exit site and better wound care and antibiotic therapy.

Medical News Today recently reported on the development of a wearable skin-like device that researchers say can monitor cardiovascular and skin health 24 hours a day.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.








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Blood Pressure Could Be Linked To A Stiffening Of The Arteries That Occurs With Age

About 90 percent of all high blood pressure cases cannot be explained by medical experts, a Norwegian University of Science and Technology news release reported.

"Our results suggest that arterial stiffness represents a major therapeutic target. This is contrary to existing models, which typically explain high blood pressure in terms of defective kidney function," says Klas Pettersen, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and first author of the study, recently published in PLOS Computational Biology.

High blood pressure can raise the risk of "heart failure, stroke and kidney disease," the news release reported.

When blood pressure travels from the aorta to the heart, sensors called baroreceptors, sense the stretching of the aortic wall and send signals to the nervous system; the higher the blood pressure the higher these signals are.

If the aorta stiffens (which generally happens in old age) it starts to lose its ability to sense the amount of blood pressure imposing pressure.

"With the stiffening of the wall that follows ageing, these sensors become less able to send signals that reflect the actual blood pressure. Our mathematical model predicts the quantitative effects of this process on blood pressure," Klas Pettersen, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and first author of the study said in the news release.

"If our hypothesis is proven right, arterial stiffness and baroreceptor signaling will become hotspot targets for the treatment of high blood pressure and the development of new medicines and medical devices," Stig W. Omholt from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, who was the senior investigator of the research project, said in the news release.

The team hopes to show that the stiffening of the aorta causes the baroreceptors to misinform the nervous system, evoking an inappropriate response.

"If we are to succeed in developing predictive, preventive and participatory medicine envisioned by so many, there is no substitute for building much stronger transdisciplinary ties between the life sciences, the mathematical sciences and engineering across the whole spectrum of basic, translational and applied research. And mathematical models of the human physiology will be at the core of this development," Omholt said.

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Your heart is at more risk in winter

The plummeting mercury raises the risk of getting a heart-attack and it is the time when one needs to remain extra cautious. 

As viscosity of blood increases with the drop in temperature, the number of cases of heart attacks and other coronary artery diseases increase during winters. The limited awareness about the triggers that lead to heart attack and precautions which can be taken to avoid it during winters is a major cause of worry. 

Dr Vanita Arora, Associate Director and Head, Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab and Arrhythmia Services, Max Hospital, discusses vulnerability of the heart in order to empower people suffering from cardiovascular diseases with the right kind of prevention, more so during the winter season. "People become more prone to heart attacks in winters. The arteries that arise from the aorta become constricted with the fall in temperatures, as a result of which the heart has to put more effort to pump the blood. This makes the heart stress out and it leads to a heart attack. It is more risky for those who do not have any inkling about pre-existing heart conditions," says Dr Arora.

Keypoints:

-Intake of too much alcohol can lead to atrial fibrillation, a common form of Arrhythmia
-Avoid binge eating and focus on eating small quantities at regular intervals 

What to do:
It is important, she says, to keep a constant check on cardiovascular risk factors, and make sure that the winter season brings no harm to your health.

Cholesterol levels fluctuate significantly with the change in the season, which may leave people with borderline high cholesterol with greater cardiovascular risk during the winter months. Apart from managing cholesterol levels, it is crucial that we keep small things in mind and do not stress the heart.

Do not indulge in overdoing anything and exhausting yourself. Give yourself a break and take frequent rest breaks so that you do not overstress your heart; even if that means alteration in your otherwise intense workout regime.

Avoid going for a walk in the morning in extreme chilly days and you can shift your walks in the evening when it is still sunny.

People also end up eating more than the normal quantity in winter, but eating a large meal at one go can put an extra load on your heart. Avoid! It is rather preferable to eat small quantities at regular intervals.

Do not over indulge in alcohol, thinking that it will only help you in keeping warm and cozy. Too much of alcohol intake can cause atrial fibrillation, a common irregular heartbeat problem called Arrhythmia that is suffered by millions of people.

On consultation of the doctor, one can also keep pills with them and can consume it on confronting breathlessness or chest pain.

Heart failure leads to most deaths in hypothermia. To keep hypothermia at bay, it is advisable to cover yourself with layers of warm clothes. Besides this, it is advisable to take a bath with warm water only.

Also, never ignore any discomfort in chest; severe sweating; pain in neck arms, jaws and shoulders; or shortness of breath. All this might give you a warning signal. Visit a doctor if you come across any of these symptoms.

Regular check-ups are always advisable. It will help you pre-empt any big health trouble. It is rightly said that 'prevention is better than cure'!

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