Micro-nanotechnologies for heart failure: improving quality of life

Heart Failure is the Nation´s largest public health cost (AHA website). It equally affects men and women of all races. Heart transplantation is an effective treatment but a very limited resource that falls far short of the clinical need. There is a unique opportunity for micro/nanotechnologies to contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure that could substantially enhance the quality of life for many heart failure patients. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) demonstrated the largest patient benefit of any heart failure therapy in the randomized evaluation of mechanical assistance for the treatment of congestive heart failure. These patients also reported and improvement in quality of life. However, the patients implanted with an assist device also experienced adverse events over twice the rate of the patients on optimal medical therapy. Presently, the average cost of this procedure is somewhat greater than for heart transplantation. Major therapeutic advances usually lead to improvements in all the procedures and practices associated with the advance itself. This is an important opportunity for micro/nanotechnologies (MNTs) to improve device design and reduce the adverse events rates associated with mechanical circulatory support.