Advancing cardiac care: innovations in structural heart solutions

Within the intricate landscape of healthcare, where technology and medicine merge to constantly advance patient care, one area that has shown remarkable progress is structural heart disease intervention. Structural heart diseases include valve disease, holes, and obstructions. These conditions can prevent the effective pump function of the heart and lead to profound impairment for the patients affected. The prevalence of valvular heart disease is expected to increase as the world's population continues to age. Longer life spans may allow more time for disease to become symptomatic, however increasingly more advanced imaging technologies can help detect these conditions.¹ With the growing prevalence, the demand for improved treatment strategies has become more pressing.

Healthcare providers, researchers, and industry partners such as GE HealthCare are committed to pursuing innovative solutions in structural heart intervention, including better visualization and navigation during minimally invasive valve repair and replacement. Breakthroughs in tools, devices, software, and medical imaging have resulted in a new era of minimally invasive procedures, allowing cardiologists to intervene earlier and with greater precision.

“The field of structural heart solutions has experienced an amazing technological advancement,” said Eigil Samset, GM, cardiology solutions with GE HealthCare. “GE HealthCare is committed to drive excellence in cardiology care with comprehensive, integrated workflow solutions to empower cardiology care teams and support rapid diagnostics and therapy, clinical decision support and intervention planning, transcatheter therapies, as well as patient monitoring and follow-up. We aim to help tell the complete story of the heart.”

The accelerated pace of innovation also presents its own set of challenges for the existing healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals find themselves constrained by workforce challenges, the availability of skilled clinicians to provide timely and appropriate care, and the demand to deliver therapy to more patients while maintaining quality. According to a report by BCC Publishing, structural heart procedures are set to grow by 16 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the next five years.^[2] It is vital that industry partners and clinicians continue working together to optimize the cardiology care pathway for these patients.

Optimizing cardiology care with advanced imaging technologies

Valves play a pivotal role in the heart’s pump function, allowing effective filling of the ventricles while preventing backflow during ejection. The ability to repair or replace these valves using minimally invasive techniques has transformed patient care, making interventions more accessible and effective. As a result, patients who might have been deemed too high-risk for conventional surgeries can benefit from innovative interventions.

Treatments like Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and Transcatheter Mitral & Tricuspid Valve Repair and Replacement (TMVR & TTVR) represent a radically different approach than traditional open-heart surgeries, enabling physicians to navigate delicate cardiac structures through small incisions, minimizing patient trauma and hastening recovery times.^[3]

Industry leaders, such as GE HealthCare, are at the forefront of advancing cardiology solutions to enable optimal cardiology care. Creating collaborative environments with a holistic approach, deploying handheld ultrasound in any care setting, advanced imaging to diagnose and perform treatment planning, and multi-modal image guidance- and monitoring solutions to enable the most complex therapies. This commitment to precision care in cardiology has paved the way for innovations in image-guided systems that allow for less contrast, less radiation exposure to the patient, and shortened fluoroscopy times to support clinicians in these valvular repair and replacement procedures.

Streamlining cardiology workflows with integrated connectivity

Streamlining cardiology care pathways to reduce time to diagnosis and integrating solutions for treatment creates interoperable connected ecosystems to help clinicians deliver more personalized care. Driving changes in the cardiology workflow by facilitating the consolidation of patient data for meticulous image analysis and comprehensive case reports enables a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment planning.

GE HealthCare’s cardiology information system provides seamless connectivity between echocardiogram, ECG, CT-images, and hemodynamic recordings. All this data is aggregated into a structured database and auto-populates physician reports and documentation records. It can integrate, manage, and streamline the flow of cardiac information, enabling faster data delivery, distribution, and analysis.

Driving changes in cardiology care dynamics through education

Acknowledging the imperative need for a proficient next generation of interventional cardiology providers, collaborative efforts between industry pioneers like GE HealthCare and clinicians are essential. Education initiatives are paramount to equipping healthcare professionals with the latest insights and tools for delivering minimally invasive procedures. These endeavors are pivotal in not only enhancing patient outcomes but also preparing healthcare providers for the evolving landscape of structural heart care.

GE HealthCare Cardiology Solutions have collaborated with other key industry stakeholders such as Abbott Vascular to provide education and training at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology that spans cardiovascular products and solutions for all aspects of cardiovascular care, such as workshops on imaging the mitral and tricuspid valves.

Building cardiology care for the future

The continued evolution of technology and innovation in structural heart solutions stands as a testament to the boundless possibilities when medicine and technology converge. The trajectory from open-heart surgeries to minimally invasive interventions have redefined patient care; ensuring earlier diagnoses, swift interventions, and improved quality of life. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the commitment of industry leaders like GE HealthCare to advancing cardiology solutions will undoubtedly shape the future of structural heart care, setting the stage for a healthier world.

 

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Learn more about GE HealthCare’s cardiology solutions.

 

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Not all products or features are available in all geographies. Check with your local GE HealthCare representative for availability in your country.

 

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