LA JOLLA, Calif. (KGTV) - A tiny medical device, barely the size of a fingernail, is giving new hope to people with a specific type of heart failure, and Scripps La Jolla is among just a few dozen hospitals worldwide participating in a clinical trial seeking FDA approval.
Amy Vasquez, who once struggled to walk around her neighborhood, says the device has completely transformed her life.
"Even that hill before would have been getting me to the point where I couldn't really breathe," Vasquez said.
For years, Vasquez maintained an active lifestyle.
"I did dancing, I did Pilates, I did boxing, yoga, and did a lot of hiking," Vasquez said.
Everything changed in 2016 when she began experiencing severe shortness of breath after even minimal exertion.
"The worst was that I couldn't walk around my block. I have a hill on our cul-de-sac. I usually walk my dog several times a day, and I wasn't able to get up to the top of the hill," Vasquez said.
After numerous medical appointments and tests, doctors diagnosed Vasquez with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, commonly known as HFpEF.
"It was very scary because if you Google it, it says that once you have an event, are hospitalized, or something like that, that it's about a five-year lifespan," Vasquez said.
According to the National Institutes of Health, HFpEF affects approximately 3 million people in the United States, representing nearly half of all heart failure diagnoses.
Dr. Rajeev Mohan from Scripps Health explains that with this condition, the left side of the heart cannot effectively pump blood out, causing it to back up into the lungs. This creates pressure that leads to the characteristic shortness of breath.
Treatment options for HFpEF have been limited, but a company called Corvia is now testing an innovative solution – a small implantable device designed to reduce pressure in the heart.
"Something like this, a shunt, is really groundbreaking if we're able to show that it does significantly improve symptoms and heart failure events down the line," Dr. Mohan said.
Scripps La Jolla is one of just 65 hospitals globally participating in this groundbreaking study.
Vasquez received the device during an earlier clinical trial phase and noticed immediate improvements.
"Almost immediately," Vasquez said when asked how quickly she noticed a difference. "It was amazing. It was like, you know, probably getting to the top of Mount Everest or something like that. For me, it was, I got to the top, and I was just overjoyed."
Now, Vasquez has returned to an active lifestyle, enjoying cruises, hikes, kayaking, and looking forward to a bright future with her family.
"Five years ago, I was looking at a death sentence, maybe, you know, not knowing what was going to happen. Now I see, you know, I have a really bright future with my kids. I plan to live a very long time, and I want to be active through that time," Vasquez said.
Scripps is still accepting patients for this study. For more information on how to participate, visit their website.
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