HEART TRANSPLANTATION PATIENT SELECTION

Course overview

HEART FAILURE (HF) IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE, AND FALLS SECOND ONLY TO PANCREATIC CANCER AS THE PATHOLOGY CAUSING THE SHORTEST LIFE EXPECTANCY. IT PLAGUES MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, AND ITS FREQUENCY IS ONLY EXPECTED TO CONTINUE RISING. IN THE MOST ADVANCED PHASE OF HEART FAILURE, HEART TRANSPLANTATION (HT) IS THE ONLY MEANS OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SURVIVAL. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL PATIENTS WHO NEED A HEART TRANSPLANT MEET CRITERIA FOR RECEIVING ONE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR HEART TRANSPLANTS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HEART FAILURE PATIENTS.