Minimally Invasive and Non-Invasive Technologies for Predicting Heart Failure

Abstract

Heart failure is a life-threatening medical problem which refers to inadequate blood supply to body tissues due to the limited functioning of heart muscles. Heart failure is mostly observed as a chronic disease which requires frequent hospitalizations and emergency healthcare. The globally growing number of heart failure patients and high hospitalization rates increase the work burden of healthcare professionals and clinicians. In order to lower the work burden of hospitals and increase the life quality of heart failure patients, diagnosis and monitoring of heart failure worsening-state has utmost importance. Remote monitoring provides opportunity to detect the symptoms and the disease-state using non-invasive sensor technologies and therefore, prevent the unnecessary hospitalizations and improve the life quality. In this chapter, non-invasive diagnostic methods and sensors used for the prediction of heart failure are explained in detail and the clinical trials for remote patient monitoring are summarized by elucidating the potential benefits of using minimally invasive sensors. These diagnostic modalities which employ non-invasive sensors include monitoring of weight, electrocardiography, bioimpedance monitoring, activity tracking, ultrasound measurements, sound measurements, pressure measurements, seismocardiography, ballistocardiography, photoplethysmography, and blood level measurement of biomarkers such as natriuretic peptides. Considering the current developments in sensor technologies, remote monitoring of heart failure can be performed using smart devices and wearables. It is concluded that the use of minimally invasive sensor technologies in remote patient monitoring helps reduce the heart failure related hospitalization and mortality rates.