Sympathetic Neural and Hemodynamic Responses to Upright Tilt in Patients With Pulsatile and Nonpulsatile Left Ventricular Assist Devices [Original Articles]

Conclusions—
Heart failure patients with continuous, nonpulsatile LVADs have marked sympathetic activation, which is likely due, at least in part, to baroreceptor unloading. We speculate that such chronic sympathetic activation may contribute to, or worsen end-organ diseases, and reduce the possibility of ventricular recovery. Strategies to provide some degree of arterial pulsatility, even in continuous flow LVADs may be necessary to achieve optimal outcomes in these patients.

Source: Circulation: Heart Failure - March 19, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Markham, D. W., Fu, Q., Palmer, M. D., Drazner, M. H., Meyer, D. M., Bethea, B. T., Hastings, J. L., Fujimoto, N., Shibata, S., Levine, B. D. Tags: Congestive, CV surgery: transplantation, ventricular assistance, cardiomyopathy Original Articles Source Type: research