CardioMEMS

    Overview

    Living with heart failure can be challenging, especially when symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling interfere with daily life. For many people with heart failure, hospitalizations caused by fluid buildup and worsening symptoms are all too common. That’s where CardioMEMS, an innovative monitoring system, comes in.

    The CardioMEMS™ HF System is a cutting-edge technology designed to help manage heart failure by providing early detection of worsening symptoms—often before you feel them. With this device, you and your doctor can work together to adjust your treatment and reduce the likelihood of hospital visits.

    What is CardioMEMS?

    The CardioMEMS HF System is a small, wireless sensor implanted in your pulmonary artery, the blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to your lungs. The sensor measures your pulmonary artery pressure, an important indicator of how well your heart is pumping.

    Increased pressure in the pulmonary artery is one of the earliest signs that heart failure is worsening, even before noticeable symptoms like swelling or shortness of breath appear. The CardioMEMS system allows your doctor to detect these changes early and adjust your treatment to help keep you feeling well and avoid hospitalizations.

    How does CardioMEMS work?

    The system consists of three key parts:

    1. The Sensor: A small, permanent sensor implanted in your pulmonary artery during a minimally invasive procedure.
    2. The Home Unit: A device that allows you to take daily pressure readings from the comfort of your home.
    3. Secure Data Transmission: Your readings are sent wirelessly to your doctor, who reviews them and adjusts your treatment plan as needed.

    The process is simple and completely painless—you just lie on the home unit’s pillow-like device for a few minutes each day to take a reading.

    How do I know if CardioMEMS is right for me?

    CardioMEMS is typically recommended for people with advanced heart failure who have:

    • Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
    • A history of heart failure-related hospitalizations.
    • Difficulty managing symptoms despite medications and lifestyle changes.

    During the procedure

    The CardioMEMS sensor is implanted during a simple, catheter-based procedure:

    1. You will be placed under light sedation for comfort.
    2. A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted into a vein in your groin or neck and guided to your pulmonary artery.
    3. The sensor is placed in the artery and remains there permanently.

    The procedure takes about an hour, and most patients go home the same day or the next.

    Life with CardioMEMS

    • Monitoring your heart: You will take daily readings with your home unit, which are automatically sent to your care team.
    • Early intervention: If your pulmonary artery pressure rises, your doctor can
    • Fewer hospitalizations: Studies show that patients using CardioMEMS experience significantly fewer hospital visits for heart failure.

    Contact us

    If you or a loved one is living with heart failure and looking for better ways to manage symptoms, contact us today. The CardioMEMS system could be a life-changing option, offering peace of mind and a better quality of life.

    For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please contact SIU Medicine at 217.545.8000.

    Why SIU

    Continually learning

    With a focus on continual improvement, our doctors take the time to research, study and innovate to provide the latest treatments for our patients.

    Patient-first experience

    Our care ranges from primary care physicians to specialists and sub-specialists who have advanced training. We're here for you when you need us.

    Breakthrough tech

    Continually teaching the next generation of doctors, our physicians use the latest developments in procedures and technologies for our patients.