ZOLL® Medical Corporation, an Asahi Kasei Group company that
manufactures medical devices and related software solutions, announced
the launch of and first patient prescription for the ZOLL µCor™
(pronounced “Micro Core”) Heart Failure and Arrhythmia Management System
(HFAMS), designed to help clinicians improve outcomes and reduce
hospitalizations for heart failure patients with fluid management
problems.
ZOLL HFAMS
ZOLL HFAMS is an FDA-cleared patch-based, wireless system that employs
novel radiofrequency technology to monitor pulmonary fluid levels, an
early indicator for heart failure decompensation. The HFAMS sensor is
non-invasive and can be worn by patients 24 hours a day. ZOLL HFAMS
continuously records, stores, and transmits patient data, including
Thoracic Fluid Index, heart rate, respiration rate, activity, posture,
and heart rhythm (ECG).
Alerting Physicians to Signs of Worsening Patient Condition
Proprietary algorithms determine patient-specific trends in the data
collected by HFAMS, allowing for early detection of deterioration in the
patient’s condition. Certified technicians at ZOLL’s Medicare-approved
and Joint Commission-accredited Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility
monitor the data 24/7 and provide notifications according to pre-defined
criteria. Data provided in the notifications aid the prescribing
physician in the diagnosis and identification of various clinical
conditions, events and/or trends, allowing for timely intervention.
The first patient has been prescribed the ZOLL HFAMS by Douglas
Horstmanshof, MD, FACC, Co-Director of INTEGRIS Advanced Cardiac Care
(IACC) and program director of the Heart Failure Institute (HFI) at
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center (IBMC) in Oklahoma City.
“The ZOLL HFAMS is a promising addition to our toolbox to care for
patients in our heart failure program, as it serves the goal of reducing
the chances of readmission and can therefore improve patient care,” said
Horstmanshof. “This device gives us insight through patient-specific
data about thoracic fluid levels during a time when they are vulnerable
to future heart failure events, allowing us to intervene prior to the
onset of many symptoms related to decompensation.”
Heart Failure Readmissions on the Rise
Every year in the U.S., more than 650,000 individuals are newly
diagnosed with heart failure1 and the lifetime risk of
developing this syndrome is one in five.2 Heart failure is
one of the largest clinical challenges facing healthcare today,
affecting nearly 6 million Americans and accounting for 1.2 million
hospitalizations every year.3 The current U.S. expenditures
for heart failure exceed $30 billion annually, with 60-80 percent
related to hospitalization, and these figures are expected to grow in
the future.4
“Despite improvements in medical therapy, 50 percent of patients
hospitalized for heart failure are readmitted within six months of
discharge, with the highest readmission rates occurring in the first 30
days,” said Jason T. Whiting, President of ZOLL Cardiac Management
Solutions. “The ZOLL HFAMS’ remote monitoring of fluid level changes
will help clinicians intervene in a timely manner by detecting early
evidence of heart failure decompensation.”
ZOLL HFAMS is intended for use in outpatient clinic and home settings
and is indicated for patients who are 21 years of age or older requiring
fluid management.
About ZOLL Medical Corporation
ZOLL Medical Corporation, an Asahi Kasei Group Company, develops and
markets medical devices and software solutions that help advance
emergency care and save lives, while increasing clinical and operational
efficiencies. With products for defibrillation and monitoring,
circulation and CPR feedback, data management, therapeutic temperature
management, and ventilation, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of
technologies that help clinicians, EMS and fire professionals, and lay
rescuers treat victims needing resuscitation and acute critical care.
For more information, visit www.zoll.com.
About Asahi Kasei
The Asahi Kasei Group is a diversified group of companies led by holding
company Asahi Kasei Corporation, with operations in the material, homes,
and health care business sectors. Its health care operations include
devices and systems for acute critical care, dialysis, therapeutic
apheresis, transfusion, and manufacture of biotherapeutics, as well as
pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents. With more than 30,000 employees
around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than
100 countries. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en/.
1 Yancy CW et al. 2013 ACCF/AHA guideline for the management
of heart failure, J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013;62:e147–239.
2Bui AL et al. Epidemiology and risk profile of heart
failure, Nat Rev Cardiol. 2011 Jan;8(1): 30–41.
3Heidenreich PA et al. Forecasting the impact of heart
failure in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart
Association, Circ Heart Fail. 2013;6(3):606–619.
4Desai AS, Stevenson LW. Rehospitalization for heart failure:
Predict or prevent? Circulation 2012;126(4):501-506.
Copyright © 2019 ZOLL Medical Corporation. All rights reserved. µCor and
ZOLL are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZOLL Medical Corporation
in the United States and/or other countries. Asahi Kasei is a registered
trademark of Asahi Kasei Corporation. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190610005074/en/