A wireless sensor the size of a paperclip could transform care
for people living with chronic heart failure, enabling them to
monitor their condition daily from home and catch warning signs
before they become emergencies, NICE has said.
The CardioMEMS HF System, developed by healthcare company Abbott
and recommended today in final guidance, is implanted in an
artery between the heart and lung during a minimally invasive
procedure.
Once in place, patients take daily pressure readings by lying on
a special pillow and pressing a button. The readings are sent
wirelessly to their healthcare team, who can spot early warning
signs and adjust medication before symptoms become serious,
potentially avoiding emergency hospital visits.
Heart failure affects around 920,000 people in the UK and
accounts for approximately 1 million hospital bed days each year
which is equivalent to 2% of all NHS inpatient stays in England.
The condition costs the NHS around £2 billion annually, with many
costs related to hospital admissions.
The technology is recommended for adults with chronic heart
failure who have been hospitalised for heart failure and are at
risk of further admission.
Evidence from three randomised controlled trials showed that
CardioMEMS was associated with a 34% reduction in heart failure
hospitalisations compared with usual care.
Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, HealthTech Programme Director at
NICE, said: "This technology offers a real opportunity
to improve care for people living with chronic heart failure. By
enabling early detection of problems and timely medication
adjustments, it has the potential to reduce emergency hospital
admissions and help people manage their condition more
effectively from the comfort of their own home.
"For patients and their families, this means fewer frightening
trips to A&E and more time living their lives. For the NHS,
it represents an innovative approach to managing a condition that
places significant demands on hospital resources."
The guidance supports the government's 10 Year Health Plan
commitment to harness transformative technologies that shift care
closer to home and reduce pressure on hospitals.
Leslie Birkenhead, a former paramedic from Hampshire who
had a CardioMEMS HF System fitted in 2020, said: “Living
with heart failure can be incredibly frightening, particularly
when you don't know what's happening inside your body from day to
day. Since having the CardioMEMS device fitted, I feel much safer
and far more in control.
“The monitoring allows issues to be picked up early, before they
escalate into emergency hospital visits. It's difficult to put
into words how grateful I am for this technology – it's given me
peace of mind and helped keep me out of hospital.”
ENDS
About the guidance
- The guidance will be available at www.nice.org.uk/guidance/HTG769
from Thursday 5 February 2026.
- An embargoed copy of the guidance can be downloaded here:
https://dmscdn.vuelio.co.uk/publicitem/fbd21c59-7126-4aac-b965-23ac6dd6325b
- The recommendation:
- CardioMEMS HF System can be used as an option for remote
monitoring of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 3
chronic heart failure in adults at risk of hospitalisation
who are:
- able to use the technology (with the help of a carer
if necessary) and
- willing to adjust medication as directed
- Images of the CardioMEMS HF System:
- About CardioMEMS HF System:
- The CardioMEMS HF System is manufactured by healthcare
company Abbott. The device costs approximately £9,500 and is
implanted during a minimally invasive catheter-based
procedure. Patients use a handheld device and pillow system
to take daily readings at home.
- About heart failure:
- Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood
efficiently around the body. Common symptoms include
breathlessness, fatigue and swelling. The New York Heart
Association (NYHA) classification system grades heart failure
severity from class 1 (no limitations) to class 4 (symptoms
at rest). Class 3 indicates marked limitation of physical
activity.
- Clinical evidence:
- A meta-analysis of three randomised controlled trials
(CHAMPION, GUIDE-HF and MONITOR-HF) showed CardioMEMS was
associated with a reduction in heart failure hospitalisations
compared with usual care (hazard ratio 0.66, 95% confidence
interval 0.57 to 0.76).
