Left ventricular assist devices: psychosocial challenges in the elderly.
As the baby boom generation ages, the number of people with heart failure is expected to rise exponentially. A rapid increase in the demand for heart transplants will result in an increased use of left ventricular assist devices. This case illustrates the challenges facing transplant teams in evaluating elderly heart failure patients as candidates for assist devices. The critical elements of a psychosocial assessment are described.
Marcus
Paula
P
Department of Psychiatry, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10467, USA. pamarcus@montefiore.org
D000368:Aged; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male