Heart Failure
Facts about Heart Failure
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There are approximately 600,000 Canadians living with heart failure and 50,000 new cases diagnosed every year.
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Upon diagnosis, 50% will die within 5 years and the remaining 50% will die within 10 years.
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Heart Failure is the third most common reason for hospitalization in Canada.
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25% of patients will be readmitted within 30 days of discharge.
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Heart Failure patients cost $2.8 billion annually
What is Heart Failure?
Heart Failure is a very complex and incurable disease that causes patients to frequently visit the Emergency Department requiring urgent medical care. Heart Failure is a disease that develops after the heart has been damaged or weakened. It occurs when the pumping action of their heart is not strong enough to move blood around to fulfill the body’s needs. The damage of the heart function can cause fluid to back up into the patient’s lungs or in other parts of the body. The congestion of fluid will cause a lack of oxygen and will cause the patient to have a shortness of breath and feel tired much quicker.
Patients with congestive heart failure typically present with fluid overload and require diuresis or other measures to reduce the pulmonary congestion that results from increased preload. For heart failure patients, venous congestion is the primary reason for hospital readmission. Venous congestion is apparent 1-2 weeks prior to decompensation occurring.
Current Common Practice
Following heart failure hospitalization, patients are in a vulnerable state. Heart disease management programs have been established which provide some form of nursing-intensive interventions that are focusing on ensuring the delivery of guideline-based medical therapy (therapeutic modification), enhancing patient self-efficacy through education regarding adherence and self-management (education), and regular surveillance for early signs of clinical deterioration (monitoring). Patients will need to adjust their lifestyle, monitor their weight daily, and record how they are feeling.
There is a need for new technologies to reduce the number of costly hospitalization and improve the quality of life of these patients.
Mespere LifeSciences Solution
The Mespere monitoring system has the best of all features given it is non-invasive application, continuous monitoring capabilities, and tele-monitoring feature. The Mespere monitoring system can monitor venous congestion in a home setting. However, to have meaningful impact on patient care, the information provided by the device has to be monitored by physicians. Heart failure patients will conduct daily monitoring, and physicians can utilize the information provided by a non-invasive venous congestion monitoring device to assist in the management of their heart failure patients.
