A new drug infusion device could allow seniors suffering from heart conditions to get treatment from a home or long-term care residence instead of a hospital setting.
The small device would work as a modified insulin pump, delivering medication via a needle automatically.
The drug delivery system was safe and effective, researchers stated, with 95% of users reporting no discomfort.
Heart failure is a specific form of cardiovascular disease where the heart muscle becomes too weak to initiate proper blood flow, often resulting in fluid buildup in the lungs or legs, the researchers explained.
Older adults in whom heart failure has been diagnosed often will require a hospital stay, and 40% of patients with the condition are discharged to a skilled nursing facility, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Even if older adults are then allowed to return home, 37% of heart failure patients end up returning to a skilled nursing facility at least two more times, the Mayo Clinic adds.
A more effective treatment system could, at the very least, help shorten the costly cycle of moving through home, hospital and post-acute care facilities.
“We are pleased that our patients were impressed with how straightforward and intuitive the pump is,” study co-author Joanna Osmanska, MD, said in a statement. “This is a big step forward in our mission to improve life for patients with heart failure and this study demonstrates how effective this treatment can be.”
New artificial intelligence tools have been better able to predict heart failure risk, and point towards more accurate treatment methods, the McKnight’s Clinical Daily reported earlier this year.
The drug-and-device method was studied by experts at the University of Glasgow and the research was recently published in European Heart Journal: Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy.
The researchers indicated that there will be further studies conducted to further evaluate the efficacy of the drug delivery method.
