1st Findings on Exercise Performance with SynCardia’s Total Artificial Heart Published in The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
VCU Medical Center’s Retrospective Study Compares Patient Exercise Performance and Blood Pressure Response of the Total Artificial Heart vs. the HeartMate II
In the November issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation (JHLT), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center in Richmond published the first findings demonstrating that physical exercise and measurable rehabilitation are feasible with the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart. Read article
The single-center, retrospective study measured blood pressure (BP) response during exercise, exercise duration and change in tolerated exercise workload over an 8-week period. The study included 37 patients implanted with SynCardia’s Total Artificial Heart (TAH) and 12 patients
implanted with the HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
Total Artificial Heart patients began physical rehabilitation at a median of 5 days and treadmill exercise a median of 19 days after implant, with increased exercise intensity and duration over time. Mean arterial BP did not change with exercise in patients with the Total Artificial Heart but did increase in those with an LVAD… read more