Who Might Benefit from a MCSD?
The causes of congestive heart failure that result in the need for cardiac assist or replacement therapy are “ischemic” (not enough blood supply to the heart muscle) and primary (otherwise unexplained) cardiomyopathy. Together these two diagnoses account for about 9 of 10 heart device patients. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is caused by coronary artery disease. Patients with coronary artery disease may suffer muscle damage from repeated or large heart attacks; if enough of the heart muscle is affected, the heart can no longer pump efficiently. Less often coronary artery narrowings which are associated with refractory chest discomfort or arrhythmias are found to be inoperable (not able to be treated by catheter techniques or open heart surgery). A small percentage of patients who undergo cardiac transplantation have valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, or inoperable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as the underlying condition. All candidates for MCSD begin the program with a comprehen
