Abiomed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABMD) announced that it will kick off American Heart month by launching a national campaign to raise awareness for heart recovery. This campaign will focus on educating women since they have a lower survival rate within five years after having a heart attack and can also suffer acutely from pregnancy heart failure.
Abiomed defines heart recovery as an improvement of the heart muscle function that enables a patient to sustain quality of life at home with their native heart. Cardiac circulatory support devices such as Impella®, the World’s Smallest Heart Pump, take over or augment the pumping function of the heart, allowing it to rest and recover.
Abiomed recently commissioned Harris Interactive® to conduct an online survey of 2,079 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, to evaluate knowledge about heart muscle recovery. Study results indicate the following:
– 74% of all adults indicate that keeping their own hearts is a top priority for them.
– 85% of adults agree with the statement, “If I suffered a heart attack, I would look for a treatment option that would give me the best chance of returning to my normal quality of life.”
– 95% of adults indicate that they would have concerns if they or someone they know needed a heart transplant. Concerns are broken down as: availability of a compatible heart for transplant (44%), surgical risks (19%), insurance coverage (18%), rehabilitation (11%), missing work or other obligations (1%) and other (2%).
– 72% were “not at all knowledgeable” about heart muscle recovery as an option for patients following a heart attack or other serious heart condition.
“Heart failure is now a problem of epic proportions, and for the most part remains due to severe heart muscle dysfunction, such as that from heart attack or multiple coronary blockages,” said Srihari S. Naidu, M.D., Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, Winthrop-University Hospital. “Newer devices for cardiac support, such as the Impella, are rapidly introducing new paradigms in treatment that should allow more people to either avoid serious heart damage completely or recover from it more fully.”
A recent report by the American Heart Association (AHA) stated that, “Prevention strategies should not be evaluated solely on their ability to reduce cost of care, but instead they should be valued based on a combination of cost and impact on patient well being, including the length and quality of life.” According to the AHA, within five years after surviving their first heart attack, 33% of men and 43% of women die.
“More than 400,000 American women have heart attacks annually and with worse outcomes after a heart attack, the ability to preserve, support and recover the heart muscle is integral in preventing further heart failure for these patients,” said Mark Turco, M.D., Director Center for Cardiac and Vascular Research, Washington Adventist Hospital and past President DC Chapter of the AHA. “One in 27 women die of breast cancer, yet one in two women die of heart failure. This is a startling statistic and emphasizes the need to educate women on heart recovery as a treatment option.”
“The Abiomed heart pump was a critical part of my survival and recovery. Without it, my heart never would have had the opportunity to rest and recover its function. I have no restrictions related to my surgery. I lead a completely normal life with my own heart. I am able to work full time, keep up with two active dogs, travel to visit friends and family, play softball, and lead a very active lifestyle,” said Melissa Moser.
Tomorrow on February 4, 2011, in support of National Wear Red Day for Women, Melissa and two other Abiomed heart recovery patients will share their personal stories with media and join Michael Minogue, Abiomed Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, in ringing the NASDAQ closing bell at 4:30 p.m. ET, in honor of patients whose hearts have been recovered and to recognize all women living with heart failure.
Source: Abiomed, Inc.