Small Pumps Help Failing Hearts

Whether used temporarily or in place of a heart transplant, these implants help the heart pump blood more effectively.

Published: August 21, 2018

Patients with heart failure rely on multiple medications to keep their heart pumping as efficiently as possible. For many, medications slow the progression of heart failure long enough so they can live a normal length and quality of life. But when maximum medical therapy no longer controls the symptoms of heart failure, other measures may be necessary. These options include ventricular assist devices (VADs), which provide new hope for selected patients with advanced heart failure.