Author/Editor		Radovančević, Branislav; Vrtovec, Bojan; Frazier, OH
Title		Left ventricular assist devices: an alternative to medical therapy for end-stage heart failure
Type		članek
Source		Curr Opin Cardiol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 18, št. 3
Publication year		2003
Volume		str. 210-4
Language		eng
Abstract		Although aggressive medical therapy and ultimately cardiac transplantation have long been the therapeutic mainstays for patients with end-stage heart failure, the left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which was originally used clinically as a bridge to transplantation, may also be used as destination therapy. LVAD therapy for selected patients has been shown in the REMATCH trial to be superior to medical therapy in ameliorating symptoms and improving outcome in patients with terminal heart failure. LVAD therapy has also proved useful in improving native heart function by neuroendocrine modulation and reverse remodeling. Furthermore, current evidence suggests that when LVAD therapy is utilized to improve ventricular function, it may be further enhanced when combined with aggressive medical therapy.
Descriptors		HEART FAILURE, CONGESTIVE HEART-ASSIST DEVICES HEART VENTRICLE SURVIVAL ANALYSIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS HEART TRANSPLANTATION