Emergency Department Evaluation and Management of Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Akilesh Honasoge; Kami M Hu

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2022.06.011

Emergency Department Evaluation and Management of Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2022 Nov;40(4):755-770. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2022.06.011.

Authors

Akilesh Honasoge¹, Kami M Hu²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Rush Medical College, 600 South Paulina Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
² Department of Emergency, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 6th Floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 6th Floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: khu@som.umaryland.edu.

PMID: 36396220
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2022.06.011

Abstract

With the increasing use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) as destination therapy in patients with severe left heart failure, emergency physicians are more likely to encounter patients with LVAD in their emergency department (ED). Emergency physicians should have a basic understanding of LVAD mechanics, a specific approach to LVAD patient evaluation, and awareness of the must-not-miss LVAD therapy complications and their management to optimize outcomes in this patient population.

Keywords: CHF; Congestive heart failure; HVAD; HeartMate; HeartWare; LVAD; Left ventricular assist device; Mechanical circulatory devices.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Emergency Service, Hospital
Heart Failure* / complications
Heart Failure* / diagnosis
Heart Failure* / therapy
Heart-Assist Devices* / adverse effects
Humans