Barostim Therapy for Heart Failure

Barostim™ is the first FDA-approved medical technology that uses neuromodulation to improve symptoms in people with systolic heart failure. It is the only heart failure device that does not place hardware in the heart or blood vessels.

How the Barostim Device Works

• In heart failure, the heart fails to pump enough blood, causing baroreceptors – sensors on the carotid artery – to send fewer messages to the brain.
• This prompts the brain to initiate a stress response that makes the heart work harder and, over time, worsens heart failure symptoms.
• Barostim is an implanted device that sends mild electrical pulses to the baroreceptors. This boosts signals to the brain, thereby reducing the stress response and improving heart failure symptoms.

Benefits of Barostim

People treated with Barostim have demonstrated:

• Increased Activity Levels – Barostim patients were able to walk about 60 yards farther in 6 minutes compared to patients who only took medications.
• Improved Quality of Life – Barostim patients reported almost 3 times greater improvement in quality of life scores than patients on medications alone.
• Safe Implant – 97% of Barostim patients had freedom from complications. The implant procedure typically takes less than an hour, and most patients go home the same day.
• High Response Rate – 94% of Barostim patients had significant improvement in at least one of three measures of symptom improvement.

Who May Be a Candidate

Barostim is a Food and Drug Administration-approved device therapy for select adults with systolic heart failure who remain symptomatic on guideline-directed medications. If you live with reduced ejection fraction and day-to-day limits, your team may evaluate you for this minimally invasive carotid sinus activation therapy to improve quality of life. You may be eligible for Barostim if you have:

• Been diagnosed with heart failure NYHA Class II or III symptoms (with a recent history of III), and are receiving optimal heart failure medications prescribed by your cardiologist
• A left ventricular ejection fraction (a measure of how much blood your heart pumps) of 35% or less
• A blood test for NT-proBNP of <1,600 pg/mL
• Symptoms that significantly impact daily life and limit the number of activities you can perform

Your cardiology team will review your carotid anatomy and how you’re doing on current therapies to confirm Barostim is appropriate for you.

What the Procedure Involves

Barostim is placed during a safe surgical procedure in which the Carotid Sinus Lead is stitched to the carotid artery, and the Barostim NEO implantable pulse generator (IPG) is positioned in a small pocket under the skin, similar to a pacemaker. Most procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. In many cases, you can resume normal activities within a few days, following your physician’s guidance.

How Barostim Differs From Other Device Options

Barostim is a device therapy that works through the nervous system rather than by pacing the heart. For example, cardiac resynchronization therapy coordinates heartbeats with leads placed inside the heart, whereas the Barostim implant sits outside the heart and modulates nerve signals at the carotid artery. Your care team will determine which approach fits your condition and anatomy.

Why Patients Consider Barostim

• You want a minimally invasive option that avoids placing hardware in the heart.
• You are looking for a therapy focused on improving the quality of life and reducing symptom burden.
• You seek another path after maximizing medications, or you are not a candidate for other implantable devices.

You value a therapy with demonstrated safety and outcome improvements in studies reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.