Cardiac Output Autonomic Stimulation Therapy for Heart Failure - Hemodynamic Effects

Exclusion Criteria

• •Systolic Blood Pressure \< 90 mmHg or \> 160 mmHg
• •Current amiodarone therapy or any other antiarrhythmic therapy
• •Coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention within prior 1 month
• •Enzyme-positive MI within prior 1 month
• •Patients who have been hospitalized for heart failure and who required the use of HF IV therapy within 30 days before enrollment (measured from release)
• •History of recent severe ventricular arrhythmias
• •Pre-existing carotid artery or cerebral disease
• •Patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy or infiltrative cardiomyopathy (e.g. amyloidosis, sarcoidosis)
• •Patients with prior vagalotomy
• •Patients with current or prior vagal nerve stimulators
• •Subjects with narrow angle glaucoma
• •Renal failure - on dialysis or serum creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dl
• •Hepatic failure - bilirubin, SGOT, or SGPT \> 4X upper limit of normal
• •Patients with a life expectance \< 12 months per physician judgment
• •Women who are pregnant
• •Allergy to fentanyl, midazolam, propofol, eggs, egg products, soybeans, or soy products
• •Subjects unwilling or unable to provide consent for the protocol