Introducing CCM Therapy
Reid Health has partnered with Impulse Dynamics to offer a breakthrough approach to the treatment of heart failure called cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) therapy. The innovative approach is the first of its kind intended to improve the contraction of the heart, allowing more oxygen-rich blood to reach the body.
Heart failure, a condition in which the heart slowly weakens, affects an estimated 6.5 million Americans and nearly 26 million people worldwide. By 2030, it is expected to affect 8 million Americans.
Heart failure patients experience debilitating symptoms, including breathlessness, fatigue, confusion, and swelling in the legs that make everyday activities challenging and significantly diminish quality of life. Most heart failure patients are prescribed medications intended to slow the progression of the disease and manage their symptoms. As the condition progresses, these treatments lose their effectiveness and quality of life continues to decline.
CCM therapy delivers precisely timed electrical pulses to the heart through a device known as the Optimizer to improve the heart's ability to contract. The therapy can be used in conjunction with medications and other heart failure treatments and has proven to be safe and effective in numerous clinical trials. It's covered by Medicare and is increasingly covered by commercial insurers.
CCM therapy is delivered through the Optimizer, a device about the size of a pacemaker that is implanted under the skin of the upper chest through a minimally invasive surgery. Patients typically go home a few hours after the procedure and can start feeling better during that time with the benefits building over the next few months.
Consider the following to see if CCM therapy may be right for you or your loved one:
- Have you been diagnosed with heart failure?
- Are you taking medications to help improve your heart failure symptoms?
- Despite taking your medications as prescribed, do the symptoms of your heart failure prevent you from doing everyday things?
If you answered yes to these questions, call the Reid Health Heart & Vascular Center at (765) 962-1337 to schedule an appointment to discuss CCM therapy with a cardiologist!