Implantable Hemodynamic Monitoring in Ambulatory Heart Failure: Who, When, Why, How?

Despite considerable advances in therapeutics, the risk of hospitalization for patients with heart failure remains high. Since many hospitalizations in heart failure patients are driven by congestive exacerbations, optimal management of congestion is a key goal of longitudinal heart failure disease management. Existing strategies for hemodynamic optimization in heart failure patients rely heavily on remote monitoring of weights and symptoms, augmented in selected cases by data from implanted cardiac devices. When they have been systematically studied, however, none of these approaches has been demonstrated to consistently improve clinical outcomes. Recent data suggests that implantable hemodynamic monitors may facilitate early detection and treatment of worsening congestion, thereby reducing the need for hospital admission. In this review, we explore the rationale and evidence supporting the use of these novel devices as an adjunct to routine heart failure management and the strategies for appropriate patient selection.