title: Ventricular assist devices for heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart failure is a clinical syndrome of major epidemiological and economical importance. In Germany as in other industrialised countries it is one of the leading causes of mortality, morbidity and disability. For patients not responding to medical therapies ventricular assist devices are used as bridge to transplant, bridge to recovery or as destination therapy alternative to transplantation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This report aims to present the actual evidence on clinical effectiveness, psychological and social aspects and economical aspects of left ventricular assist devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic research of the literature in different databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library). The included studies were assessed by two reviewers and were presented in tables and in a narrative form. We also conducted a survey among hospitals using the technology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We included 40 references, six of them were HTA-reports. LVAD patients as bridge to transplant had better survival rates and a better quality of life as compared to medical therapy. Mechanical assistance was associated with frequent and often serious adverse events which were often the cause of death. There were numerous psychological and psychiatric problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LVAD showed to be clinically effective, however with high complications rate and seriousness of them. The use of technology is very costly. Cost-effective should be analysed for Germany. There is a need to further develop the technology before it can contribute seriously to a reduction of the need for heart transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Angermayr
authors.forename: Marcial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velasco Garrido
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Busse