Heart Failure Management

Heart failure: when your heart needs your help

How does your heart work?

Your heart is the engine that provides fuel to your whole body. It works in two phases:

• Diastole: Your heart relaxes and fills with blood.
• Systole: It contracts and pumps out blood throughout your body.

What causes heart failure?

Heart failure can be caused by a heart attack, high blood pressure, an imbalance in your nervous system, or other conditions that progressively weaken the heart.

Keeping heart failure under control is vital

If you've been diagnosed with heart failure, it means that your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. This condition is generally associated with a sense of fatigue and weakness, shortness of breath, swollen legs and ankles, and often a need to sleep with the head elevated. As you are probably already experiencing, the symptoms of heart failure can have a serious impact on your quality of life. They can limit your ability to perform daily activities and put your whole life at risk. Understandably, multiple medications and hospital stays can also make living more difficult.

Despite advances in medications and treatments, millions of people with heart failure continue to have symptoms. Many patients are not eligible for end-stage heart failure therapies, cardiac resynchronization therapy, or heart transplantation. ¹

Since heart failure tends to get even worse with time, keeping your condition under control is vital. Are you taking control of heart failure before it controls you?

References:
1. Abraham WT et al. Baroreflex Activation Therapy for the Treatment of Heart Failure With a Reduced Ejection Fraction. JACC Heart Fail. 2015 Jun;3(6):487-96.

Imbalance means greater risk

    Your body is controlled by two systems that lead your heart's reaction to different situations. The sympathetic system is responsible for the “fight or flight" reaction, which is triggered when you face stressful situations. On the contrary, the parasympathetic system is responsible for “rest and digest" activities, and generally helps your heart and body calm down. 

    In heart failure, these two parts of the nervous system are imbalanced. Meaning, there is too much sympathetic activity and not enough parasympathetic activity in your body, putting your heart under a lot of stress and your overall health at serious risk.

BAROSTIM THERAPY may balance sympathetic and parasympathetic activity

    BAROSTIM NEO™ has been created for people like you, who have been diagnosed with heart failure. It is a minimally-invasive implant that may work together with your body, by sending signals that communicate with your brain. These messages activate a natural process that may balance sympathetic and parasympathetic activity and bring your nervous system back into balance.     

The body responds to BAROSTIM NEO™ by…

    Relaxing the blood vessels:
    This makes it easier for blood to flow to the body, putting less pressure on the heart.

    Slowing the heart down:
    This helps the heart work more efficiently.

    Reducing fluid in the body through improved kidney function:
    This further reduces the heart's workload and helps relieve congestion and swelling.

A small device that helps your nervous system find balance.

Multiple studies have shown BAROSTIM NEO™'s effectiveness in rebalancing your nervous system. By doing this, physical activity levels increase by 32%, and hospitalisations related to heart failure decrease by 84%. With BAROSTIM THERAPY™, you can regain the confidence that you will not be spending your life in the hospital.

BAROSTIM NEO™ is a personalized therapy that has been used in over 1,000 people. It can be adjusted to your body's unique needs, and will not hinder your lifestyle. In fact, studies show that overall quality of life improves significantly with BAROSTIM THERAPY™. And because the device functions automatically, there is no additional daily action needed from you once it is inserted. 1,2,3

References: 
1. Zile MR et al. Baroreflex activation therapy for the treatment of heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction: safety and efficacy in patients with and without cardiac resynchronization therapy. Eur J Heart Fail. 2015 Oct;17(10):1066-74. 2. Wustmann K et al. Hypertension 2009, 54:530-536. 3. Gronda E, et al. Chronic baroreflex activation effects on sympathetic nerve traffic, baroreflex function and cardiac haemodynamics in heart failure: a proof of concept study. European Journal of Heart Failure 2014.

Over 1,000 people around the world have been treated with BAROSTIM THERAPY™.   

Hear first-hand how BAROSTIM THERAPY™ has impacted the life of Maria, who has heart failure: 

“[After the placement procedure,] I came home and the first thing I did was bake cakes.  After a month, I was reborn.  Honestly, I can't feel it now.  It's a part of me.  In fact, I thank it every day!" 

The Baroreflex Activation Therapy for Heart Failure Pivotal Clinical Trial (BeAT-HF)

Clinical trial sites are currently enrolling up to 480 patients in a Phase III Pivotal Trial, evaluating BAROSTIM THERAPY™ for the treatment of heart failure.  

Please visit the  BeAT-HF website or the ClinicalTrials.gov website for more information.