title: Left ventricle assist device: when and which patients should we refer?
abstract: Progress in the medical treatment of patients with heart failure with systolic dysfunction, cardiac resynchronization therapy, internal cardiac defibrillators and multidisciplinary management programmes has resulted in dramatic improvements in survival and quality of life; however, this progress has led to an increase in the prevalence of advanced heart failure. In the context of organ shortage for cardiac transplantation, the technological developments in left ventricular assist devices, shown in recent positive clinical studies, provide real hope for patients with advanced heart failure. This article summarizes the most recent clinical studies concerning left ventricular assist devices and discusses for whom and when a left ventricular assist device should be proposed.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR, université de Nantes, l'institut du thorax, CHU de Nantes, France. jeannoel.trochu@chu-nantes.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Noël
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Trochu
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leprince
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bielefeld-Gomez
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bastien
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beauvais
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gueffet
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Logeart
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isnard
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Iliou
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girard
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left