Advanced Treatment Options Enhance Quality of Life for Heart Failure Patients CRMC and Tennessee Heart Add Barostim to Repertoire of Care

Congestive heart failure has emerged as a significant health concern, leading medical professionals to focus on specialized therapies to combat this chronic condition.

That’s why Cookeville Regional Medical Center and Tennessee Heart, leading healthcare providers in the Upper Cumberland region, have intensified their efforts to offer comprehensive care for heart failure patients.

“Congestive heart failure has moved into the forefront of cardiology,” said Dr. Stacy Brewington, a cardiologist with Tennessee Heart. “In fact, everything we do as cardiologists helps to treat or prevent heart failure, because when we replace a heart valve or fix a blockage, it’s to prevent or improve heart failure symptoms.”

In addition to addressing blockages swiftly to prevent tissue damage that can lead to heart failure, Tennessee Heart and Cookeville Regional have placed a significant emphasis on ensuring patients receive optimal medication regimens.

“We’ve got about five or six medications that are really our bread and butter, four of which can help people live longer,” said Dr. Brewington. “These medications are really the backbone therapy for treating congestive heart failure patients.”

By fine-tuning medication doses, patients can experience improved quality of life and effective management of symptoms such as shortness of breath, edema, fatigue, nausea, confusion and weight changes. More recent advancements such as defibrillators and pacemakers have also had a profound impact on the survival rates and treatment outcomes for heart failure patients.

And now, Tennessee Heart has taken its heart failure care a step further by adding the Barostim™ device to their repertoire of treatments.

“Barostim is something we can offer as an add-on therapy for patients who still have significant symptoms despite having traditional therapies,” said Dr. Brewington.

While Barostim does not directly improve survival rates, it has proven effective in enhancing quality of life for patients with advanced heart failure.

This innovative therapy involves the implantation of the Barostim device, which stimulates the carotid artery to regulate the body’s response to changes in blood pressure.

“The Barostim puts the nervous system back in balance to decrease the fight-or-flight response, which decreases heart failure symptoms,” said Sean Smithey, an acute care nurse practitioner specializing in heart failure at Tennessee Heart.

The device is implanted through a small incision on the right side of the neck during an outpatient procedure that takes about an hour. Dr. Timothy Powell, cardiothoracic surgeon, implants the device. Then, over the course of several office visits, the device’s function is carefully adjusted to each patient’s needs, ensuring optimal results and minimal discomfort.

Because congestive heart failure poses ongoing challenges, Smithey emphasizes the importance of working to prevent heart disease through lifestyle modifications such as exercise, following a healthy diet, and limiting salt intake. Early detection through regular check-ups and appropriate screenings are also vital in managing heart health and preventing heart failure.

The implementation of innovative therapies like Barostim is a testament to the dedication of CRMC’s medical professionals to providing comprehensive heart failure care at home so patients don’t have to travel outside of the region.

“We can treat heart failure here at Cookeville Regional just as well as any other facility in proximity to us,” said Smithey, “and it’s all because we’ve got a group of docs who are bold enough and brave enough to bring this to the table.”

Photo: Dr. Stacy Brewington, standing, a cardiologist at Tennessee Heart, and Sean Smithey, an acute care nurse practitioner specializing in heart failure at Tennessee Heart, discuss a patient’s care.