title: Patient selection for the use of ventricular assist devices as a bridge to transplantation.
abstract: Patient selection is a critical factor in the outcome associated with the use of mechanical assist devices for the treatment of refractory heart failure/shock. Numerous risk factors impact on the outcome, many of which can be identified and treated before device surgery. This manuscript reviews all the risk factors that have been identified to date and the use of composite risk scores to predict outcome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. mille278@umn.edu
authors.forename: Leslie W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection