Heart transplantation has become the standard treatment for selected patients with end-stage heart failure, with improvements in immunosuppression and care leading to better survival despite ongoing challenges.
Heart transplantation remains the standard treatment for selected patients with end-stage heart failure, with long-term survival limited by rejection, infection, coronary allograft vasculopathy, and malignancy.
Heart transplantation (HTx) has become standard treatment for selected patients with end-stage heart failure. Improvements in immunosuppressant, donor procurement, surgical techniques, and post-HTx care have resulted in a substantial decrease in acute allograft rejection, which had previously significantly limited survival of HTx recipients. However, limitations to long-term allograft survival exist, including rejection, infection, coronary allograft vasculopathy, and malignancy. Careful balance of immunosuppressive therapy and vigilant surveillance for complications can further improve long-term outcomes of HTx recipients.
Kim et al. (2018) conducted a review in End-stage heart failure. Heart transplantation was evaluated. Heart transplantation has become the standard treatment for selected patients with end-stage heart failure, with improvements in immunosuppression and care leading to better survival despite ongoing challenges.