title: Machines versus medication for biventricular heart failure: focus on the total artificial heart.
abstract: The medical/surgical management of advanced heart failure has evolved rapidly over the last few decades. With better understanding of heart failure pathophysiology, new pharmacological agents have been introduced that have resulted in improvements in survival. For those patients that fail to improve, mechanical circulatory support with left ventricular assist devices and total artificial hearts (TAHs) have served as a beneficial bridge to transplantation. The TAH has continued to play a significant role as a bridge to transplantation in patients with biventricular failure and more selected indications that could not be completely helped with left ventricular assist devices. Improved survival with the TAH has resulted in more patients benefiting from this technology. Improvements will eventually lead to a totally implantable device that will permanently replace the failing human heart.
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Circulatory Support Program, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Boulevard, Suite A3600, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Francisco A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Arabia
authors.forename: Jaime D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
mesh_terms: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000145:classification; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents
keywords: biventricular heart failure; bridge to transplantation; congestive heart failure; destination therapy; left ventricular assist device; medical management of advanced heart failure; total artificial heart