What is a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)?
The left ventricular assist device, or LVAD or VAD, is a kind of mechanical heart. It's placed inside a person's chest, where it helps the heart pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
Unlike an artificial heart, the LVAD doesn't replace the heart. It just helps it do its job. This can mean the difference between life and death for a person whose heart needs a rest after open-heart surgery, or for a person waiting for a heart transplant.
Now, VADs play another role, allowing weakened hearts to recover. A permanent LVAD is currently being used in some terminally ill patients whose condition makes them ineligible for heart transplantation. This is also called destination therapy.
In studies, therapy with the permanent LVAD device doubled the one-year survival rate of patients with end-stage heart failure as compared with drug treatment alone. However, there were some risks including infection, stroke and bleeding.
Find out what women really need.
 |
RxList does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.
Updated & New