Prevalence and Outcomes of Reduced Intensity Anticoagulation in Patients Supported with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose: Patients with ventricular assist devices (VAD) are typically treated with aspirin and warfarin, but some cannot tolerate full anticoagulation (AC). With the improved biocompatibility observed with a fully magnetically levitated centrifugal flow pump (HeartMate 3 [HM3] VAD), clinicians have more flexibility to reduce AC, reducing bleeding risk. However, limited information exists regarding outcomes in patients on reduced or no AC.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Source Type: research