Cardiac Contractility Modulation for Heart Failure: Current and Future Directions

Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is a Food and Drug Administration-approved device-based therapy for patients with heart failure. The system delivers biphasic electric stimulation to the ventricular myocardium during the absolute refractory period to augment left ventricular contraction. CCM therapy promotes acute and chronic changes at the cellular level, leading to favorable remodeling throughout the myocardium. CCM improves quality of life, New York Heart Association class, left ventricular ejection fraction, peak oxygen uptake, and the composite end point of cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalizations. This review will focus on the biological basis, indications, and evidence for CCM, as well as the future applications of this technology.