St. Jude Medical’s CardioMEMS raises QOL, helps prevent hospitalizations
A pair of studies released at ACC this year show that the CardioMEMS implantable heart failure monitor made by St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) raises quality-of-life scores and helps prevent hospitalizations.
One study, of 66 patients treated at the Morthwell Health system in New York, showed “significant” improvements in quality of life and the ability to exercise. Quality of life, assessed using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, increased 3-fold for the CardioMEMS patients, who lost nearly 7% of their body weight and were able to walk 38% farther in the 6-minute walk test, according to the study.
“The data confirms that patients who are monitored using the CardioMEMS HF System are seeing significant improvements in the quality of their lives, including an increase in exercise capacity,” Dr. Rita Jermyn, of Manhasset’s North Shore University Hospital, said in prepared remarks.
In the 2nd study, researchers analyzing data from the Champion trial reported that CardioMEMS monitoring helped improve medical management and prevent hospitalizations, compared to the traditional standard of care (weight and blood pressure tracking).
The analysis showed using CardioMEMS helped fine-tune the administration of diuretic drugs and other medications, leading in turn to 37% fewer hospitalizations.
“This latest analysis of the Champion data shows that individualizing medication dosing in heart failure patients using information from the CardioMEMS device is more effective in keeping them out of the hospital and can be accomplished with remote monitoring in the patient’s home environment,” vice president of medical affairs Dr. Philip Adamson said in prepared remarks. Read more