The use of left ventricular assist devices in the treatment of class IV heart failure patients: what the non-heart failure specialist needs to know.
The New York Heart Association class IV heart failure patient represents a very sick patient population with a poor 6-month survival rate. With appropriate selection and timing, left ventricular assist devices can provide improved outcomes while these patients are supported for bridge to heart transplant or destination therapy. As the number of heart failure patients supported by left ventricular assist devices increases, physicians will need to be familiar with postoperative chronic issues (such as right ventricular failure, infection, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, bleeding, and thromboembolic events) that can affect the function of these devices.
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA. moose@temple.edu
Mustafa
M
Ahmed
Juan M
JM
Aranda
Richard S
RS
Schofield
Jessica M
JM
Bell
Jana A
JA
Reid
Charles T
CT
Klodell
D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000628:therapy*