Nearly 6.7 million adults in the United States have heart failure (HF). Continued treatments are being developed to improve outcomes and quality of life.
When the heart doesn’t pump as it should, it can make a person feel significantly fatigued, short of breath and lead to swelling. That’s why Georgia Heart Institute’s Heart Failure Treatment & Recovery Center offers Barostim—a revolutionary implantable device that improves quality of life for those with heart failure.
Heart failure symptoms
Symptoms of heart failure can vary depending on severity and duration of the disease. Commons symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Fluid retention
- Swelling
- Persistent cough
- Irregular heartbeat
Depending on the severity of symptoms, those with heart failure may struggle to exercise or conduct daily activities of living, such as walking to the mailbox or lifting a grandchild. These lifestyle changes can be discouraging and can prevent patients from working to improve their health.
What is barostim?
Barostim is a pacemaker-like device that focuses on reducing stress hormones in your body and improving the actions of these hormones on your heart. For patients with heart failure, the brain is constantly releasing stress hormones that cause the heart to work harder to compensate for a weak pump. This can worsen fatigue, shortness of breath and fluid retention while also potentially weakening the heart muscle further over time. Barostim uses neuromodulation to interrupt the signals and stress hormones from the brain to the heart and allow the heart muscle to work with improved efficiency. 94% of Barostim patients nationwide report significant improvements in their quality of life.
Who is barostim for?
Our advanced heart failure cardiologists at Georgia Heart Institute will determine who is a candidate for Barostim. Typically, patients are eligible if they:
- Are receiving medication treatment
- Have a low ejection fraction (EF)
- Have challenges with quality of life
How is barostim implanted?
Barostim is implanted through a minimally invasive surgical procedure, similar to a pacemaker implantation. The implant procedure takes about an hour and is typically an outpatient procedure. Patients who already have an implanted cardiac device can still receive Barostim.
Heart Failure Treatment & Recovery Center
Georgia Heart Institute offers comprehensive expertise in heart failure, with fellowship-trained heart failure cardiologists, access to the latest research and treatment options with the support of a comprehensive care team, including renowned surgeons, electrophysiologists and specialized nurses and care coordinators.
No matter where you are in your heart care journey, we have experienced cardiologists and specialized treatment options for you. Get started today with the Heart Failure Treatment & Recovery Center of Georgia Heart Institute by calling 770-534-2020, or book an appointment online:
