title: The role of heart failure pharmacotherapy after left ventricular assist device support.
abstract: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an increasingly common treatment for end-stage systolic heart failure. However, there are limited data on how to best treat patients pharmacologically after LVAD implantation, resulting in uncertainty about which heart failure medications provide the most benefit. Still, some evidence exists that certain medical therapies can prevent remodeling and improve right ventricular and, possibly, left ventricular function. This article reviews the current literature for medical heart failure therapy in LVAD patients, and possible future treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 160 Dental Circle, 6th Floor Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7075, USA.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rommel
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 160 Dental Circle, 6th Floor Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7075, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 160 Dental Circle, 6th Floor Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7075, USA.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lishmanov
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 160 Dental Circle, 6th Floor Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7075, USA.
authors.forename: Jason N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 160 Dental Circle, 6th Floor Burnett-Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7075, USA. Electronic address: patricia_chang@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Patricia P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
keywords: Heart failure; Left ventricular assist device; Mechanical circulatory support; Medical therapy; Review