Chronic heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization and death for people over age 65. It affects more than 25 million people worldwide. But a new potential treatment option is available for patients faced with this condition.
Charles Tarbell received news no one would want to hear. Doctors said he would likely need a heart transplant to overcome his congestive heart failure. But thanks to a new device available at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, he has avoided major surgery - and feels better than he has in years.
"Normal" for Tarbell is not "normal" for most people. Congestive heart failure made even everyday tasks impossible: "I was in bad shape beforehand; I couldn't sleep, had trouble breathing - you know - miserable all the way around, pretty much," he said.
Faced with the likelihood of a heart transplant, Tarbell was referred to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where Barry Cabuay, M.D., suggested a device called a cardiac recovery system, or CRS. Designed to decrease resistance, the CRS allows the heart to work more easily and efficiently. After getting that resting period, specialists hope the heart will work better.
"The ability to have a less-invasive option for patients in a critical situation is an amazing advance in this day and age," Cabuay said.
"I started feeling better just probably within a day or two," Tarbell said. "By the time they got the thing off, I was ready to go run foot races - was the way I felt, you know."
This is the first study in the U.S. involving the cardiac recovery system, so it's not currently available to the general public. Heart care specialists hope positive results - like what Tarbell has experienced - will lead to further trials and ultimately FDA approval.
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Barry Cabuay, M.D.
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