title: [Heart transplant].
abstract: A heart transplant is at present considered the treatment of choice in cases of terminal cardiac insufficiency refractory to medical or surgical treatment. Due to factors such as the greater life expectancy of the population and the more efficient management of acute coronary syndromes, there is an increasing number of people who suffer from heart failure. It is estimated that the prevalence of the disease in developed countries is around 1%; of this figure, some 10% are in an advanced stage and are thus potential receptors of a heart transplant. The problem is that it is still not possible to offer this therapeutic form to all of the patients that require it. Consequently, it is necessary to optimise the results of the heart transplant through the selection of patients, selection and management of donors, perioperative management and control of the disease due to graft rejection. Since the first transplant carried out in 1967, numerous advances and changes have taken place, which has made it possible to increase survival and quality of life of those who have received a new heart. In this article we review the most relevant aspects of the heart transplant and the challenges that are currently faced.
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Cirugía Cardiovascular y Cardiología, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ubilla
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mastrobuoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín Arnau
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cordero
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gavira
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Iribarren
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Fernández
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herreros
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rábago
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012042:Registries; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors