HEART TRANSPLANTATION REJECTION

Course overview

HEART TRANSPLANTATION (HTX) IS A PROCEDURE PERFORMED IN PATIENTS WITH END-STAGE HEART FAILURE (HF) WHO REMAIN SYMPTOMATIC DESPITE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL THERAPY. HEART TRANSPLANT REJECTION OCCURS WHEN THE RECIPIENT IMMUNE SYSTEM REACTS TO THE FOREIGN ANTIGENS IN THE DONOR ORGAN BY MOUNTING AN IMMUNE RESPONSE. PATIENTS WILL PRESENT WITH SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEART FAILURE SUCH AS SHORTNESS OF BREATH, ORTHOPNEA, PAROXYSMAL NOCTURNAL DYSPNEA, PALPITATIONS, SYNCOPE, ETC. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HEART TRANSPLANTATION REJECTION AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.