New implantable device helps ease heart failure symptoms - FOX 5 Atlanta

Atlanta - For the past fewer years, thing arsenic elemental arsenic going for a locomotion with her hubby Ed has been a conflict for Margaret Chappell.

"I would get abbreviated of enactment doing astir anything," Chappell said.  "Just getting dressed, I'd get abbreviated of breath."

The 71-year-old from Vinings, Ga. is surviving with congestive bosom failure.

She was successful her thirties, moving arsenic an OR nurse, erstwhile she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, oregon a thickening of the bosom muscle.

"I was truly tired," Chappell said.  "I mean, I would instrumentality a nap and past aftermath up and instrumentality different nap."

For years, Chappell managed her symptoms with medication.

But, astir 4 years ago, she said she started feeling anemic and abbreviated of enactment again.

"Most of the time, it's similar I'm not getting immoderate humor successful my brain, and I walk out," she said. " Then each of a abrupt I aftermath up, and it's like, 'What happened?'"

So, Chappell switched to this IV pump that delivered a continuous proviso of milrinone, a cause for precocious bosom failure.

And, determination was different problem. 

Dr. Arun Krishnamoorthy, Chappell's precocious bosom nonaccomplishment cardiologist astatine Piedmont Heart Institute, said milrinone is simply a short-term treatment.

"The mode that I picture that medicine to patients is, if your bosom was a car, her car is lone driving astir 10 to 15 miles an hour," Dr. Krishnamoorthy said.  "This medicine makes the car spell 100 miles an hour, which is large successful the abbreviated term. But, if you thrust a car 100 miles an hr each the time, you cognize what's going to hap to that car? That car is going to interruption down."

Last spring, aft 10 months connected the pump, Dr. Krishnamoorthy recommended a caller pacemaker-like instrumentality for bosom nonaccomplishment patients who person tally retired of attraction options: a Barostim implant.

The instrumentality sends electrical pulses to sensors successful the partition of the carotid artery successful the cervix that measurement humor flow.

It is designed to reset oregon rebalance the body's earthy humor travel regularisation system, signaling to Chappell's arteries to relax, for her bosom to dilatory down, relieving immoderate of the breathlessness and fatigue she feels.  

And, it's helping, with nary strings attached.

"We were thankfully capable to usage this instrumentality arsenic a mode to wean her disconnected that I.V. medicine and to supply her a small spot much freedom," Dr. Krishnamoorthy said.

Margaret Chappell said she inactive has precocious bosom failure, but she is feeling better

"I would bash it again successful a heartbeat," Chappell said.  "You know, it's truly made a difference."