TY - JOUR
T1 - UK guidelines for referral and assessment of adults for heart transplantation
AU - Banner, Nicholas
AU - Bonser, Robert
AU - Clark, Andrew
AU - Clark, Stephen
AU - Cowburn, Peter
AU - Gardner, Roy
AU - Kalra, Paul
AU - McDonagh, Theresa
AU - Rogers, Chris A.
AU - Swan, Lorna
AU - Parameshwar, Jayan
AU - Thomas, Helen
AU - Williams, Simon
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Patients with advanced heart failure have a dismal prognosis and poor quality of life. Heart transplantation provides an effective treatment for a subset of these patients. This article provides cardiologists with up-to-date information about referral for transplantation, the role of left ventricular assist devices prior to transplant, patient selection, waiting-list management and donor heart availability. Timing is of central importance; patients should be referred before complications (eg, cardiorenal syndrome or secondary pulmonary hypertension) have developed that will increase the risk of, or potentially contraindicate, transplantation. Issues related to heart failure aetiology, comorbidity and adherence to medical treatment are reviewed. Finally, the positive role that cardiologists can play in promoting and facilitating organ donation is discussed.
AB - Patients with advanced heart failure have a dismal prognosis and poor quality of life. Heart transplantation provides an effective treatment for a subset of these patients. This article provides cardiologists with up-to-date information about referral for transplantation, the role of left ventricular assist devices prior to transplant, patient selection, waiting-list management and donor heart availability. Timing is of central importance; patients should be referred before complications (eg, cardiorenal syndrome or secondary pulmonary hypertension) have developed that will increase the risk of, or potentially contraindicate, transplantation. Issues related to heart failure aetiology, comorbidity and adherence to medical treatment are reviewed. Finally, the positive role that cardiologists can play in promoting and facilitating organ donation is discussed.
U2 - 10.1136/heartjnl-2011-300048
DO - 10.1136/heartjnl-2011-300048
M3 - Article
VL - 97
SP - 1520
EP - 1527
JO - Heart
JF - Heart
SN - 1355-6037
IS - 18
ER -