PRMC introduces CardioMEMs

Posted

Pampa Regional Medical Center is always looking for ways to expand and grow to support the health of the community. During November 2021, PRMC made history within the hospital by launching a new program to better serve cardiac patients in the panhandle. The program is now at full force and accepting new patients who qualify clinically.

CardioMEMs offers a significant quality of life improvement for heart failure patients.

“Recurrent hospitalizations for heart failure is one of the difficulties patients with congestive heart failure typically face as they sometimes are unable to tell when their fluid levels are rising until they reach a point of overload. At that point, they become symptomatic with significant shortness of breath and swelling in the legs requiring hospitalization.” Said Dr. Kelvin Akhigbe

Patient’s who participate in the CardioMEMs program are connected to their doctor everyday from home without frequent visits to the clinic.

“With the CardioMEMs device, we are able to remotely monitor blood pressure in the pulmonary artery which correlates with the fluid levels, and by so doing, we can detect rising fluid levels and alert the patients as well as make necessary medication adjustments to prevent fluid overload in these patients. This subsequently results in significant reduction in hospitalizations for heart failure.” Said Akhigbe.

The sensor is smaller than a dime and has wires attached to each end. The device is placed into the artery in a procedure that takes less than two hours.  Recovery time is very quick, and the patient can return to normal activity the next day. It’s designed to be inserted once so the patient does not have to have multiple procedures.

“The procedure is done under conscious sedation and recovery is fast, very much like a normal heart catheter procedure, and it only lasts a few hours.” Said Kellie Cummings, PRMC Director.

The CardioMEMs device is a game changer because it requires so little from the patient. Each day after the patient wakes up at home they will lay on an electronic pillow that is provided. The pillow pairs with the device and then sends the data automatically to the clinic.

“You lay on the pillow only once a day and it transmits very quickly. Our clinic receives the data from the patient daily.” Said Karla Fernandez, Nurse Practitioner at Pampa Medical Group’s cardiology clinic.

The CardioMEMs device is the first and only wireless heart monitor approved by the FDA.

“This is the only sensor that has been shown to reduce patient hospitalization for heart failure, thereby keeping patients out of the hospital, which has become even more important in this era of the COVID pandemic.” Said Akhigbe

For more information about the cardiology program at Pampa Regional Medical Center please call 806-665-0801 and ask for Dr. Akhigbe’s cardiology clinic.