Tiny device could improve survival rates after heart failure
A tiny device has been shown to improve survival in heart failure patients with leaky valves.
About 480,000 Australian adults have heart failure which is often caused by coronary heart disease, previous heart attack, high blood pressure and cardiomyopathy.
"Heart failure is an increasing problem as our population ages," said Professor David Muller, St Vincent's Hospital.
People with heart failure may develop a leaky valve. It occurs when the left chamber of their heart becomes enlarged and prevents the thin flaps of the mitral valve to close properly.
A small device called the MitraClip is placed inside the beating heart to stop the backflow of blood.
A recent landmark study showed the device lowered the rate of hospital admissions for heart failure, reduced mortality and produced better quality of life outcomes compared to medical therapy alone.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looked at the benefits over two years.
"The differences were quite extraordinary. It was way beyond anything anticipated," said Professor David Muller, Director of the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney.
"Survival is 40 percent better, recurrent hospitalisation was 40-50 percent better," he said.
The study involved 614 heart failure patients who had symptoms of leaky valve despite being on maximum doses of medication.
More than 500 Australian patients have used the MitraClip since 2011, but the latest results are likely to expand the treatment's use so more patients can benefit.
"I think it would be wonderful because there are people my age who are too old to undergo the major surgery to repair a valve, that can have this simple operation which gives them a total new lease of life," said Marea Arundell, 86, who had the procedure two weeks ago.
The great-grandmother and former Seven Hills GP was feeling breathless and exhausted before receiving the life-changing device in a 90-minute minimally invasive procedure.
"I couldn't do the housework, I had to stop going to things I would normally go to," she said.
Mrs Arundell says there was no discomfort and she was home within two days of having the procedure done.
"I think it's quite miraculous actually," she said. "I've now got a new lease of life which I did not have before."
The benefits and safety of the technology will continue to be studied for the next five years.