Abstract 20: Dying With a Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy [Session Title: Abstract Oral Session]

Conclusions: In contrast to the general heart failure population, most patients with DT-LVAD die in the hospital and very few enroll in hospice. A significant body of research has demonstrated that patients who die in the intensive care unit and the hospital, as opposed to home or with hospice assistance, experience worse quality of life, quality of death and caregiver outcomes. Potential reasons that patients with DT-LVAD may experience different end-of-life care than other patients with heart failure exist, including that they often experience sudden changes in health status prior to death from acute events such as hemorrhagic stroke. However, further work is needed to understand these differences and to determine whether patients with DT-LVAD are receiving optimal end-of-life care.

Source: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes - February 26, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dunlay, S. M., Strand, J. J., Wordingham, S. E., Stulak, J. M., Kushwaha, S. S., Luckhardt, A., Swetz, K. M. Tags: Session Title: Abstract Oral Session Source Type: research