Open AccessAwake and aware with ongoing ventricular fibrillation during LVAD treatment: is it possible?
Author(s) -
Ingrid Hell Mott,
Steen Hvitfeldt Poulsen,
Brian Bridal Løgstrup
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2020-234527
Subject(s) - medicine , ventricular fibrillation , heart failure , ventricular tachycardia , ventricular assist device , cardiology , implantable cardioverter defibrillator , destination therapy , heart transplantation , intensive care medicine
Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are currently used as destination therapy or bridge to heart transplantation in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF). It has been proved to reduce mortality and symptoms in these patients. Patients with advanced CHF are known to have increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation (VF)) despite the presence of LVAD. We report the case of patients with ongoing VF during LVAD treatment while being awake and aware. We discuss the challenges introduced along with the increasing use of LVAD treatment. The decision whether a patient with LVAD automatically should have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is challenging. Randomised trials are warranted to shed light on these challenging decisions.