Enhancing care for cardiac resynchronization therapy patients: device diagnostics and clinical application

Implantation of a cardiac resynchronization device in patients with heart failure does not attenuate the vigilant monitoring required by clinicians. Daily information about symptoms, quality of life, and weight are often part of routine care. Cardiac resynchronization devices also contain data on various heart failure parameters that can be obtained in or out of clinic. A number of cardiac resynchronization devices now have the ability to transmit such data to secure Internet sites, which can be accessed by clinicians. Incorporating these device data into daily practice can enhance current care. For instance, such data can confirm subjective patient reporting, help diagnose changes in the patient's condition, assist in deciding what changes to make in pharmacologic therapy, and assess the impact of device or pharmacologic therapy. Reviewing and utilizing device diagnostics may allow clinicians to intervene before a decompensation event and prevent a subsequent hospitalization. It is also likely that these device diagnostics can reduce the amount of time cardiovascular nurses spend on patient follow-up, thus enhancing efficiency in the clinical setting.