Driveline exit-site care protocols in patients with left ventricular assist devices: a systematic review

Ambulatory care of patients with left ventricular assist devices.

BACKGROUND Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have revolutionized the treatment of patients with acute and chronic heart failure as they provide a high quality of life. We report on our experience with patients receiving ambulatory care after LVAD implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS Since July 1995, 46 patients with a mean age of 45+/-11 years underwent implantation of an electrically drive...

Supervised exercise training versus usual care in ambulatory patients with left ventricular assist devices: A systematic review

Implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) has increased because of improved safety profile and limited availability of heart transplantation. Although supervised exercise training (ET) programs are known to improve exercise capacity and quality of life (QoL) in heart failure (HF) patients, similar data is inconclusive in LVAD patients. Thus, we performed a systematic review on stud...

Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left€Ventricular Assist Devices

RESULTS Overall, AF was documented in 80 patients (32%) following LVAD placement. Before LVAD placement, 182 patients had no history of AF, whereas 67 patients had documented AF. Among these 67 patients, 56 (84%) continued to have AF following LVAD placement; 24 patients without a history of AF (13%) developed AF after LVAD placement. Patients manifesting AF after LVAD placement were more likel...

Hemodynamic Ramp Tests in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

OBJECTIVES This study tested whether combined invasive hemodynamic and echocardiographic ramp tests can help optimize patient management. BACKGROUND Guidelines for optimizing speed and medications in continuous flow ventricular assist device (cfLVAD) patients are mainly based on expert opinion. METHODS Thirty-five cfLVAD patients (21 HeartMate II [Thoratec, Pleasanton, California] and 14 HV...