Device therapy to modulate the autonomic nervous system to treat heart failure

Abstract

Heart failure is the final common pathway in many forms of heart disease, and is associated with excessive morbidity and mortality. Pathophysiologic alterations in the interaction between the heart and the autonomic nervous system in advanced heart failure have been noted for decades. Over the last decade, great advances have been made in the medical and surgical treatment of heart failure - and some of these modalities target the neuro-cardiac axis. Despite these advances, many patients progress to end-stage heart failure and death. Recently, device-based therapy targeting the neuro-cardiac axis with various forms of neuromodulatory stimuli has been shown to improve heart function in experimental heart failure models. These include spinal cord stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, and baroreflex modulation. Human trials are now underway to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these device-based neuromodulatory modalities in the heart failure population.