Physical capacity in LVAD patients: hemodynamic principles, diagnostic tools and training control
Int J Artif Organs 2016; 39(9): 451 - 459
Article Type: REVIEW
DOI:10.5301/ijao.5000529
Authors
Nils Reiss, Thomas Schmidt, Anke Workowski, Detlev Willemsen, Jan D. Schmitto, Axel Haverich, Birna Bjarnason-WehrensAbstract
Over time left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have become an alternative to heart transplantation because of enormous technical development and miniaturization. Most patients present a significant improvement in clinical conditions and exercise capacity. Nevertheless, exercise tolerance remains markedly limited even after LVAD implantation compared to a control group. The complex physiological and hemodynamic changes in LVAD patients, both at rest and during exercise, are not yet understood, or at least not completely.
It is the aim of the present paper to describe the current state of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, the spectrum of diagnostic tools, including the noninvasive inert gas rebreathing method for measurement of cardiac output and associate parameters, are discussed. Options for training control in this special patient group are presented.
Article History
- • Accepted on 24/10/2016
- • Available online on 09/11/2016
- • Published in print on 11/11/2016
Disclosures
This article is available as full text PDF.
Authors
- Reiss, Nils [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 1, * Corresponding Author ([email protected])
- Schmidt, Thomas [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 1
- Workowski, Anke [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 1, 2
- Willemsen, Detlev [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 1
- Schmitto, Jan D. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 3
- Haverich, Axel [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 3
- Bjarnason-Wehrens, Birna [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 2
Affiliations
-
Cardiac Rehabilitation, Schüchtermann-Klinik Bad Rothenfelde, Bad Rothenfelde - Germany -
Institute for Cardiology and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne - Germany -
Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover - Germany
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