Mechanical circulatory support and the role of LVADs in heart failure therapy

Heart failure is epidemic in the United States with a prevalence of over 5 million. The diagnosis carries a mortality risk of 50% at 5 years rivaling many diagnoses of cancer. Heart transplantation, long the “gold standard” treatment for end stage heart failure unresponsive to maximal medical therapy falls way short of meeting the need with only about 2,000 transplants performed annually in the United States due to donor limitation. Left ven-tricular devices have emerged as a viable option for patients as both a “bridge to transplantation” and as a final “destination therapy”.