LV Assist Devices for End-Stage CHF?

Treating end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF) is difficult because these patients, by definition, have failed (or have failed to tolerate) conventional CHF therapies. Moreover, the . . .

Treating end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF) is difficult because these patients, by definition, have failed (or have failed to tolerate) conventional CHF therapies. Moreover, the majority of such patients are unable to receive heart transplants. The implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has been proposed as destination therapy for end-stage CHF patients.

In the REMATCH study, researchers randomized 129 end-stage CHF patients with contraindications to transplantation to receive either an LVAD or optimal medical therapy. The 68 LVAD recipients had a significantly higher 1-year survival rate (52% vs. 25%, P=0.002) and a trend toward better 2-year survival (23% vs. 8%, P=0.09) than did the 61 medically treated patients. Compare…

Reviewing Author

William T. Abraham, MD