Baptist Health Care Offers New Treatment Option for Heart Failure

8/06/2025

Baptist Health Care successfully completed its first Barostim™ Baroreflex Activation Therapy and is the first to offer this treatment option to patients in Northwest Florida since the device received FDA approval. Barostim™ uses signals from the brain and nervous system to treat patients with heart failure who may continue to have symptoms after taking medication. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic, progressive condition where the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. The Barostim™ procedure was performed at Baptist Hospital by Russell Ronson, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon.

“This is different from other devices as it does not go inside the heart or blood vessels. Instead, an implant is placed near the carotid artery, sending small electrical signals to special sensors in the neck called baroreceptors,” said Dr. Ronson. “These sensors help the brain control how the heart, kidneys and blood vessels work, allowing the heart to pump more efficiently, which can help patients feel stronger.”

People with heart failure often experience shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in lower extremities, weakness and reduced ability to perform physical activity. When used with medication, Barostim™ has been shown to help improve heart function, allowing people to feel better and get back to the activities they enjoy.

“This procedure is an innovative treatment option that can help improve CHF symptoms and enhance the quality of life for select patients,” said Sumit Verma, M.D., electrophysiologist. “Others who may benefit from this procedure are patients with defibrillators who continue to suffer from symptoms of heart failure, those with pacemakers, patients experiencing severe symptoms of coronary artery disease, or individuals who are not candidates for a heart transplant. This alternative treatment may be an option to help support their heart function,” said Dr. Verma.

Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute offers innovative procedures to continuously advance the level of heart and vascular care available in the Northwest Florida and South Alabama region.

For more information about this procedure, call 448.227.6500 or schedule an appointment at EasySchedule.com