Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NEW BRIGHTON, Minn., Nov 07, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A New Brighton, Minn., company has developed a device they believe can halt and even reverse the progression of heart failure.
The condition afflicts about 5 million Americans, with 550,000 new cases diagnosed each year, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Sunday. About 50 percent of those with the condition die within 5 years of diagnosis.
Acorn Cardiovascular Inc.'s solution is a mesh-like sock that encapsulates and supports the heart, which often swells to three times its normal size in heart-failure patients. The device provides passive ventricular support to relieve stress on the heart's walls, stopping deterioration and allowing the muscle to heal, the company has said.
The results of a 300-patient clinical trial were expected Sunday to be presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in New Orleans.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International.
