Newswise — BERWYN, IL—MacNeal Hospital is the first hospital in Illinois to participate in a national, randomized clinical trial using daily vital signs and lung pressure measurement to manage patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The PROACTIVE-HF trial utilizes a new monitoring system, coupled with a pressure sensor, implanted directly into a blood vessel in the lung. This system provides information that is recorded and transmitted over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection to a patient’s provider, allowing for medication changes, if necessary, to prevent further health deterioration or hospitalization.

Cardiologists Gregory Macaluso, MD, and James Sur, MD, of Heart Care Centers of Illinois performed the first implant of the new CordellaÔ Heart Failure System in Illinois (the fourth in the U.S.) at MacNeal’s recently renovated, state-of-the-art Cardiac Catherization Lab. MacNeal is part of Loyola Medicine.

“The increase in lung pressure is the earliest signal that the heart is straining or decompensating,” said Dr. Macaluso. “This device can detect changes in a patient’s heart before most symptoms can occur.”

The sensor is implanted into a lung blood vessel using a common outpatient cardiac procedure. Lung pressures are then recorded daily and transmitted via a small hand-held reader to a secure website that is accessible to providers. In addition, providers may be alerted if pressures fall outside of a pre-specified range.

“This allows more proactive, closer monitoring of the patient and an opportunity to fine-tune helpful, guideline-directed medication,” said Dr. Macaluso. “Ultimately, it reduces the likelihood of admission to the hospital, which can be associated with worse health outcomes.”

Additionally, the device is coupled with a monitoring system that measures blood pressure, weight, oxygen levels and symptoms, providing a comprehensive overview of a patient’s health. Most importantly, patients do not need to leave their home to transmit this health data.

“This is a huge benefit  as we move into the future of remote monitoring of patients and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Macaluso. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United Sates and patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 complications.

“As one of the region’s top cardiovascular hospitals, MacNeal is pleased to participate in this innovative clinical trial that has the potential to substantially improve care and treatment for patients living with heart disease,” said Charles J. Bareis, MD, chief medical officer at MacNeal. MacNeal was recently named to the 2020 IBM Watson Health® 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list for the second consecutive year.

A total of 1,000 patients are expected to participate this national clinical trial. The Cordella Heart Failure System is manufactured by Endotronix in Lisle, Illinois. For more information on the Cordella Heart Failure System clinical trial, please contact MacNeal at 708-783-3305.

To learn more about Loyola Medicine, visit loyolamedicine.org

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About Loyola Medicine Loyola Medicine, a member of Trinity Health, is a nationally ranked academic, quaternary care system based in Chicago's western suburbs. The three-hospital system includes Loyola University Medical Center, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital and MacNeal Hospital, as well as convenient locations offering primary care, specialty care and immediate care services from more than 1,800 physicians throughout Cook, Will and DuPage counties. Loyola is a 547-licensed-bed hospital in Maywood that includes the William G. & Mary A. Ryan Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, a Level 1 trauma center, Illinois's largest burn center, a certified comprehensive stroke center and a children’s hospital. Loyola also trains the next generation of caregivers through its academic affiliation with Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine  and Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. Gottlieb is a 254-licensed-bed community hospital in Melrose Park with the newly renovated Judd A. Weinberg Emergency Department, an adult day care program, the Gottlieb Center for Fitness, the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care and the Loyola Cancer Care & Research facility at the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Center. MacNeal is a 374-licensed-bed teaching hospital in Berwyn with advanced medical, surgical and psychiatric services, acute rehabilitation, an inpatient skilled nursing facility and a 68-bed behavioral health program and community clinics. Loyola Medical Group, a team of primary and specialty care physicians, offers care at over 15 Chicago-area locations. For more information, visit loyolamedicine.org.

About Trinity Health

Trinity Health is one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation, serving diverse communities that include more than 30 million people across 22 states. Trinity Health includes 92 hospitals, as well as 106 continuing care locations that include PACE programs, senior living facilities and home care and hospice services. Its continuing care programs provide nearly 2.5 million visits annually. Based in Livonia, Michigan, and with annual operating revenues of $19.3 billion and assets of $27 billion, the organization returns $1.2 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. Trinity Health employs about 125,000 colleagues, including about 7,500 employed physicians and clinicians. For more information, visit www.trinity-health.org.