Barostim delivers electrical pulses to baroreceptors in the wall of the carotid artery. The pulses activate the body’s baroreflex, triggering an autonomic response to the heart.
CVRx designed the therapy to restore balance to the autonomic nervous system, reducing the symptoms of heart failure. The system holds FDA breakthrough device designation and FDA approval for use in heart failure patients in the U.S. CVRx earlier this year announced positive data as part of an expanded FDA labeling for Barostim granted in December.
Today, the company shared newly published data in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure. Outcomes detail durable improvements out to 24 months in the individual components of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure (MLWHF) and EuroQual-5D (EQ-5D) quality of life measures.
Patients in the trial utilized Barostim plus guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). They reported feeling significantly better in a variety of physical and psychosocial measures compared to GDMT alone. That included significant improvements in the ability to work around the house, sleep and engage in activity.
Those who received Barostim reported less depression and that they felt they were less of a burden on friends and family. Physicial metrics included less shortness of breath, less fatigue and pain and increased mobility and ability to perform usual activities.
“The durable functional and psychological improvements associated with Barostim are unique to this therapy and superior to medical management alone. To see quality of life results that remain this significant in long-term data are rare,” said Dr. Philip Adamson, chief medical officer of CVRx. “We believe this analysis of the long-term BeAT-HF data will support the shared decision-making of patients and physicians when considering Barostim therapy.”
