Understanding Remote Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring

Remote pulmonary artery pressure monitoring is used to manage heart failure. It works as an early warning system. It can tell if your heart failure is getting worse before you even notice any changes to your condition. And it may lower your risk for a hospital stay and improve your quality of life.

One type of this monitoring has a small, wireless sensor that's placed in your pulmonary artery (PA). The sensor records the pressure in the PA. You collect the pressure readings from the sensor each day with an at-home device. The readings are sent electronically to your doctor. Based on the readings, your doctor may make changes to your medicines or other treatments to better control your heart failure. The device is implanted permanently.

This type of monitoring is often used only in severe cases. It isn't right for all people with heart failure. Talk with your doctor to see if it may be right for you.

When you have heart failure, the heart can't pump as well as it should. Blood and fluid may back up into the lungs. Some parts of the body don't get enough oxygen-rich blood to work normally. As the condition gets worse, you may start to have symptoms. These include fatigue, rapid weight gain, shortness of breath, and swelling of the legs and ankles.

Another sign that heart failure is getting worse is a rise in pressure in the PA. This main artery connects your heart to your lungs. It carries blood to your lungs for oxygen. A rise in PA pressure occurs before you notice changes in your symptoms. So by monitoring it, your doctor can tell early on if your heart failure is getting worse. They can then make changes to your treatment to prevent a hospital stay.

Your doctor places the sensor in the PA with a procedure called a right heart catheterization. During this procedure:

• You are given medicine to help you relax and not feel pain.
• Your doctor inserts a sheath into a blood vessel in your neck or groin (femoral vein). They put a thin tube (catheter) into the blood vessel.
• Your doctor guides the tube into the right side of the heart and to the PA.
• Once there, your doctor can move the sensor into place through the tube.
• Your doctor then removes the tube, leaving the sensor in the PA.
• The cut in your neck or groin is closed.

The sensor continually records the pressure level in the PA. Each day, you use an at-home device to collect those readings and send them to your doctor. Your doctor will teach you how to do this. If they notice a rise in PA pressure, they will reach out you to make changes to your treatment plan.

Keep all follow-up visits with your doctor. Talk with your provider if you have any questions or concerns.

Remote PA pressure monitoring may have some risks. These are mainly linked to the implant procedure. The risks of right heart catheterization include:

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Blood clot.
• Bruising.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Injury to the PA.
• Stroke or heart attack.
• Death.

In rare cases, the sensor may move. Or it may not work correctly or stop working.

Contact your doctor if any of these happen after the sensor is placed:

• You have a fever of 100.4 °F (38°C) or higher, or as advised by your doctor.
• You have chills.
• You have increased pain, redness, swelling, or bleeding or other drainage from the insertion site.
• You feel coolness, numbness or tingling, or other changes in the affected leg.
• Your heart failure symptoms get worse.

Call 911 right away if:

• You're short of breath or have trouble breathing.
• You have chest pain or pressure.
• You have nausea or vomiting.
• You're sweating heavily.
• You feel dizzy.
• You faint.