Press Release: The Chinese University of HK Announces Efficacy of CCM for Heart Failure

In July 2005, the Division of Cardiology of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at CUHK first introduced an implantable device therapy for heart failure patients called ‘Cardiac Contractility Modulation (CCM)’.  Unlike a pacemaker, CCM therapy does not induce artificial pacing, but delivers intermittent electrical impulse to increase the contractility of the heart muscle during native contraction.

To date, 38 patients have received CCM therapy at CUHK and were followed-up for a period of 48 months on average.  According to Prof. Cheuk-Man Yu, the principle investigator and the chairman of Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, patients showed symptomatic improvement over the follow-up period of 48 months on average.  Cardiac ultrasound (echocardiography) also confirmed the increase in left ventricular ejection fraction and favorable reduction of ventricular volume by 10%, making CCM another promising therapy for patients with advanced heart failure.