EP127: Nurse Innovation: Heart Failure Socks with Pamela Cacchione, PhD, RN, FAAN

<p>Heart failure affects 86 million Americans and by the time many people living  with heart failure realize they're in trouble, it's often too late— their symptoms are at a dangerous severe level for hospitalization.</p> <p>But thankfully, nurses are working with engineers to develop the technology to change this narrative; providing tools that enable those affected or their loved ones to recognize red flags before things become critical.</p> <p>Get ready to put your best foot forward! Today on <strong>This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World</strong>, we're taking our knowledge up a notch with Pamela Cacchione, PhD, RN, FAAN – an expert in nurse innovation. </p> <p>She's here to make sure you don't miss out on an emerging technology that can  help manage heart failure - Heart Failure Socks.</p> <p><strong>Key points covered in this episode:</strong></p> <p><strong>✔️ What Are Heart Failure Socks?</strong></p> <p>Heart failure monitoring socks are a revolutionary technology for heart failure patients. By tracking swelling of the feet and fatigue, these innovative socks can detect any changes in heart failure symptoms before they become dangerous--empowering patients to take greater control of their health and seek out medical advice as soon as possible. </p> <p>In addition to providing patient-tailored data crucial for better treatment decisions by clinicians, the thought of having a ‘high-tech’ solution for something so mundane can be incredibly encouraging for those coping with a chronic illness. Heart failure monitoring socks significantly reduce the risk of worsening symptoms due to the timely warnings they provide, ultimately making life considerably more manageable and less stressful.</p> <p><strong>✔️ How The Heart Failure Socks Came to Be</strong></p> <p>Pamela’s brother was 40 years old when he underwent open heart surgery, during which the doctor performed a mitral valve replacement. Unfortunately, this resulted in the development of heart failure. Since his brother resided in Maryland