Devices for heart failure treatment

Introduction

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health issue in both developed and developing countries 11. Writing Group Members, Mozaffarian D, Benjamin EJ, Go AS, Arnett DK, Blaha MJ, Cushman M, Das SR, de Ferranti S, Després JP, Fullerton HJ, Howard VJ, Huffman MD, Isasi CR, Jiménez MC, Judd SE, Kissela BM, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth LD, Liu S, Mackey RH, Magid DJ, McGuire DK, Mohler ER 3rd, Moy CS, Muntner P, Mussolino ME, Nasir K, Neumar RW, Nichol G, Palaniappan L, Pandey DK, Reeves MJ, Rodriguez CJ, Rosamond W, Sorlie PD, Stein J, Towfighi A, Turan TN, Virani SS, Woo D, Yeh RW, Turner MB; American Heart Association Statistics Committee; Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2016 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2016;133:e38-60. Link. In the last few decades, advances in drug therapy, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy – in the earlier phases - as well as mechanical circulatory support with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) and heart transplantation – when clinical conditions become advanced and recalcitrant - have contributed to improvements in the prognosis of patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) 11....