The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has approved a paperclip-sized implant for routine use on the NHS in England, allowing heart failure patients to monitor their condition from home. The CardioMEMS HF System, developed by Abbott, is designed to detect symptoms before they become emergencies, potentially reducing hospital admissions.
The wireless sensor is implanted into the artery between the heart and lung. Patients take daily readings at home by lying on a special pillow, with data sent directly to their healthcare team. This enables early warning signs of worsening symptoms to be flagged, allowing medication adjustments and helping patients avoid emergency hospital visits.
Heart failure affects over one million people in the UK, according to the British Heart Foundation, and costs the NHS about £2 billion annually, largely due to hospital admissions. Trials showed the CardioMEMS system reduced heart failure hospital admissions by 34% compared with standard care.
Until now, the implant was only used in specialist centres and clinical studies, with about 120 patients fitted nationwide. Nice has recommended it for chronic heart failure patients who have been hospitalised and are at risk of further admissions.
Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, healthtech programme director at Nice, said: “This technology offers a real opportunity to improve care for people living with chronic heart failure. By enabling early detection of problems and timely medication adjustments, it has the potential to reduce emergency hospital admissions and help people manage their condition more effectively from the comfort of their own home.”
