Picture this: a small device in your pulmonary artery that can send your health data to a doctor daily – and all you have to do is lie on a special pillow for a few minutes every day.
This is what’s possible with the CardioMEMS™ system, a device the cardiologists at Holland Hospital can use to monitor a patient’s heart and reduce their risk of hospitalization by preventing heart failure.
This innovative system is helping Holland Hospital patients stay safe, healthy and out of the hospital.
What is CardioMEMS?
The CardioMEMs™ system is a small implant the size of a paperclip that wirelessly sends data about the patient’s vascular pressure and heart rate directly to the cardiologist. Based on that information, the cardiologist can change medication or adjust doses to prevent heart failure and hospitalization.
In a quick outpatient procedure, the cardiologist inserts the implant into the pulmonary artery. The patient is sent home with a special pillow that receives information from the implant and shares it with the doctor. The patient just needs to lie on the pillow for a few minutes every morning.
“The device stays with the patient forever,” says Marcel Letourneau, DO, a board-certified physician specializing in interventional cardiology. “You can't feel it, it won't beep in airport security and it’s powered by the pillow without the need for a battery change or charge.”
Who is CardioMEMS for?
CardioMEMS is for patients with congestive heart failure, a condition where the heart muscle does not pump blood as well as it needs to, causing fluid buildup in the lungs, swelling in the legs and other serious symptoms. A cardiologist will suggest a CardioMEMS implant when the patient needs closer monitoring to prevent heart failure.
“The beauty of CardioMEMS is that it gives us the patient’s data in real-time, every day,” says Dr. Letourneau. “The goal is to keep patients out of the hospital.”
Where can I learn more?
Holland Hospital offers convenient access to exceptional cardiology and vascular care, from prevention and diagnosis to treatment, rehabilitation and home health.