Helping Heart Failure Patients Who Have Central Sleep Apnea

At The Ohio State University Medical Center's Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, doctors are studying the effects of a small device implanted under the skin below the collarbone that helps restore more natual breathing in heart failure patients.

Pretty interesting concept.

In February, the first person in the United States received such an implant, which is similar to a pacemaker. It is a sealed device that delivers small electrical pulses to the diaphragm (your large breathing muscle); the diaphragm responds to these signals resulting in a more natural breathing pattern.

Sleep apnea is common among people with heart failure...and they tend to end up with more hospital admissions than those with heart failure but no sleep apnea symptoms. And, central sleep apnea is a dangerous form of sleep apnea that causes patients to hyperventilate in the night affecting their oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood, thus signaling the brain to stop breathing.

According to Dr. William Abraham, director of the division of cardiovascular medicine at Ohio State's Medical Center, this treatment has potential given the high prevalence of central sleep apnea in heart failure patients. Doctors can monitor the information delivered to the diaphragm and can change the device settings without being invasive.

The device--called The RespiCardia System--has FDA Investigational Exemption (IDE) approval for investigational use only. Following the results from Ohio State's study will be interesting. An implantable device would eliminate any additional effort from the patient.

Read more.