Researchers have found the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) improves long-term outcomes and may also decrease the cost of care overtime for heart failure patients compared to the HeartMate II (HMII).
"The HeartMate 3 left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a more forgiving pump in terms of clinical adverse events, and now we can confirm that its increased effectiveness is associated with decreased costs," said lead author Mandeep Mehra, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said in a statement. "In medicine, most often, a therapy that demonstrates increased effectiveness usually comes at a higher price, and we are able to show that this new technology actually decreases costs to payers and patients over time."
Findings of the study were published online May 27 in Circulation.
The researchers analyzed results from the MOMENTUM 3 trial, which compared the efficacy and cost effectiveness of both the HeartMate II and HM3.
The study cohort included 189 patients in the HM3 group and 172 in the HMII group. There were 337 patients who were successfully discharged from the hospital following their implantation surgeries. Researchers analyzed all hospitalizations and associated costs that occurred after the patient had been discharged after implantation of the device.
Usage of the HM3 device reduced healthcare costs by 51 percent due to decreases in rehospitalization primarily associated with device malfunction. Patients also had fewer hospitalizations and also spent approximately eight days less in the hospital when compared to those with the HMII.
“These findings in advanced heart failure suggest enhanced cost-effectiveness of left ventricular assist systems and may allow for more wide-spread use across different health care systems and geographic regions,” Mehra et al. wrote.
Researchers re-reviewed a total of 20 hospitalizations—five in HM3 and 15 in HMII—that were related to the device. Still, data favored the HM3 as it showed a reduction in re-hospitalization and decreased healthcare costs.
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.