Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Becomes First Hospital in Wyoming to Offer Patients Heart Failure Monitoring Device

May 10, 2018

Cheyenne, WY—Cheyenne Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in Wyoming to implant a miniaturized monitoring sensor that offers improved outcomes for many patients with heart failure.

The CardioMEMS™ HF monitoring system features a wireless sensor that is placed in a patient’s pulmonary artery (PA) to measure the artery’s pressure. Increased PA pressure often occurs before weight and blood pressure changes, which are indirect indicators of worsening heart failure.

The paper clip-sized sensor sends daily pressure readings to a small portable electronic system in the patient’s home. The information is then transmitted to the patient’s clinician. There is no pain or sensation during the readings, and each reading is a simple process that takes only a few minutes.

“The CardioMEMS system has been proven to improve a person’s quality of life and significantly reduce hospital admissions when used by physicians to manage symptoms associated with heart failure,” said Dr. Muhammad Khan, the CRMC interventional cardiologist who implanted the sensor. The non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure was performed in CRMC’s cardiac catheterization lab last month.

The sensor, which is powered by radio frequency energy, does not require batteries and is designed to last the patient’s lifetime.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands. People with heart failure are frequently hospitalized, often have a reduced quality of life and can face a higher risk of death.

More than 5.1 million Americans have heart failure, with 670,000 new cases diagnosed in America each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A clinical trial to test the safety and effectiveness of CardioMEMS technology showed that the system reduces hospitalizations due to heart failure by up to 37 percent.

“Cheyenne Regional Medical Center is committed to investing in innovative medical technology like the CardioMEMs system, which allows for more convenient, personalized and proactive monitoring and has the potential to significantly improve the care and outcomes for many of our patients with heart failure,” Dr. Khan said.