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Timing Matters for patients with advanced heart failure.
Earlier evaluation for LVAD may create opportunities for treatment that can help extend survival and improve quality of life.
If you're considering when to take the next step, use the rule of three to consider patients for timely evaluation.1
Rule 1:
Hospitalizations
(Two or more per year) for heart failure
Rule 2:
Escalating diuretic
requirements over time to maintain clinical stability*
Rule 3:
Progressive intolerance
to neurohormonal therapy (beta blockers, ACEi and ARBs)
Repeat hospitalizations are associated with decreased survival2
Don't wait for another hospitalization. Earlier evaluation gives patients the opportunity to understand their treatment options before advanced heart failure progresses further.
Access ongoing guidance for identifying and referring appropriate advanced HF patients for LVAD therapy.
LVAD Supports Multiple Patient Profiles
See how HeartMate 3 LVAD offers more ways to support patients with advanced refractory left ventricular heart failure.
A Life-extending Strategy for Younger Heart Failure Patients
For patients <50 awaiting heart transplantation, HeartMate 3 LVAD can serve as a complementary therapy that prolongs meaningful life and optimizes pre-transplant outcomes.7
Jermayne H.
Male, age 29
At age 25, Jermayne was diagnosed with chronic myocarditis (viral cardiomyopathy) and classified as NYHA Class IV heart failure, with an ejection fraction of just 10-15%. He experienced repeated hospital readmissions for shortness of breath and was initially treated for pneumonia before being referred for advanced heart failure care.
After evaluation, Jermayne received a HeartMate 3 LVAD as a bridge to transplant in April 2019. He was discharged 17 days later, ready to begin a new chapter.
Since surgery, Jermayne married his wife Keima, welcomed a child, and started a business with his dad. Now working as a chef and food truck owner in Columbus, Ohio, he also teaches children how to cook.
“The HeartMate 3 didn’t just get me out of the hospital,” he says. “It got me to the life I have today.”
Resources
Giving the Heart Time to Recover its Natural Pumping Ability
For certain patients suffering from heart failure for a specific reason, temporary support from a HeartMate 3 LVAD can give the heart time to recover its ability to pump effectively.
Loree B.
Female, age 42
At age 39, Loree presented to urgent care with shortness of breath and an elevated heart rate. Despite no prior history of heart problems, Loree was quickly diagnosed with myocarditis and viral cardiomyopathy, her heart failure noted as NYHF Class IV with an ejection fraction of only 5-10%.
After cardiac arrest and unsuccessful attempts with ECMO and two Impella devices, Loree received her LVAD in August 2022. “I decided to have the surgery because I wanted to get home to my kids,” she recalls.
After just one week in the stepdown unit and another in hospital, Loree’s energy and activity levels significantly improved. By February 2023, her heart function had normalized with an ejection fraction of 65%, allowing her to undergo explant and return to NYHF Class I.
Now 42, Loree works full time and lives an active life with her family in Pennsylvania.
“The LVAD gave me my life back. It allowed my heart to rest and regain its strength.”
Resources
A Chance to Manage Reversible Issues and Qualify for Transplant
LVAD therapy with HeartMate 3 LVAD may be able to give patients with end-stage heart failure time to manage reversible physical conditions or psychosocial factors that temporarily make them ineligible for transplant.8
Rick R.
Male, age 41
Diagnosed with congestive heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy, Rick faced a difficult prognosis. “My local cardiologist told me there wasn’t much he could do for me,” says Rick, “[that] I should go home and enjoy my family and prepare for not waking up.”
But everything changed when Rick was referred to an advanced heart failure clinic. At age 38, weighing 344 pounds, he received his LVAD implantation. Determined to earn a chance at heart transplant, Rick committed to lifestyle changes, losing more than 150 pounds with daily walks, gym sessions, and yardwork. Listed for transplant at 210 pounds in May 2023, he reached 190 pounds by June 2025 and successfully received a new heart at 41.
“The doctors and surgeons did their part,” says Rick. “After the surgery, it was my turn to do mine. I put in the work to get healthy enough for transplant. I wouldn’t have gotten here if it wasn’t for the LVAD”
Resources
Immediate, Sustained Quality of Life for Patients Not Eligible for Transplant
For advanced heart failure patients who are not candidates for a heart transplant, an LVAD can be permanently implanted with the goal of extending that person’s life — as well as improving their quality of life.1,7
Dr. Wiji R.
Male, age 79
A retired general surgeon living in New York, Dr. Wiji was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and ischemic heart disease, with an ejection fraction of only 14-16%. Despite undergoing angioplasty in 1999 and an unsuccessful Impella pump procedure in 2022, his condition progressed to NYHF Class IV. After a heart attack in December 2022, he was transferred to Columbia, where he received his LVAD at age 76.
Dr. Wiji credits the HeartMate LVAD with giving him “another lease on life,” allowing him to return to daily activities like exercising, cooking, and spending time with his grandson.
“As a general surgeon, I was surprised that even I didn’t know about [LVAD therapy],” he says. “This information needs to be disseminated better. Getting a referral to heart failure specialists is important.”
Resources
Referring Advanced Heart Failure Patients for LVAD Evaluation
When you refer your advanced heart failure patients to a HeartMate 3 LVAD implant center, you can reassure them that:
- They will undergo a complete and thorough evaluation to determine if they are a candidate for advanced therapies, including LVAD therapy.
- Both they and their caregivers will receive additional details of the surgery. They’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions about the procedure, recovery, and living with their HeartMate 3 LVAD.
- They can connect with a HeartMate 3 LVAD Patient Ambassador. Ambassadors are HeartMate 3 recipients who can speak with your patients about their experiences with a HeartMate LVAD.
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Please re-enter your address, or select Use My Location, to view nearby clinics
Clinics are listed in order of geographic proximity from the information entered in the locator. Abbott does not endorse any of the clinics on this locator, but merely provides them as a courtesy to patients. Nor does Abbott represent that this is a full list of clinics in a particular location. Though Abbott attempts to regularly update the locator, the locator may not have the latest information regarding the clinic or provider, or availability of product. The clinics are included in the locator because they are certified as a HeartMate LVAD implanting center, have ordered at least one HeartMate LVAD in the last 12 months, and have all HeartMate LVAD device-related equipment required for patient management. The number of orders has been validated; the number of implants has not been validated. This locator includes US clinics only. No clinics or healthcare professionals (HCPs) have paid or received a fee to be listed, but some HCPs within the clinics on this locator may purchase products from Abbott, provide consulting services to Abbott, and/or may have a financial relationship with Abbott. The locator is not meant to be an endorsement for any particular clinic, nor does it represent the qualifications of the HCPs at the clinic. Note that Abbott is a medical device manufacturer and cannot provide medical advice.
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Advanced Heart Failure Patient Workup
Evaluating a heart failure patient for advanced therapies requires the integration of clinical, imaging, hemodynamic, functional and biomarker data.
The following tests and patient information may be needed when referring a patient for advanced heart failure evaluation and LVAD therapy.7
- Physical examination
- Blood tests
- Chest x-rays
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
- Echocardiography (abbreviation as "echo")
- Exercise stress test
- Radionuclide ventriculography or multiple-gated acquisition scanning (abbreviated as MUGA)
- Cardiac catheterization
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- 6-Minute Walk Test8
These testimonials relate an account of an individual’s response to the treatment. The patient’s account is genuine, typical and documented. However, it does not provide any indication, guide, warranty or guarantee as to the response other persons may have to the treatment. Responses to the treatment discussed can and do vary and are specific to the individual patient.
These materials are not intended to replace your doctor's advice or information. For any questions or concerns you may have regarding the medical procedures, devices and/or your personal health.
*e.g., increase in oral loop diuretic therapy by 50% in the past 6 months.
References
- Writing Committee, Maddox TM, Januzzi JL Jr, Allen LA, et al. 2021 Update to the 2017 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway for Optimization of Heart Failure Treatment: Answers to 10 Pivotal Issues About Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Solution Set Oversight Committee. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021;77(6):772-810. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2020.11.022.
- Setoguchi S, Stevenson LW, Schneeweiss S. Repeated hospitalizations predict mortality in the community population with heart failure. Am Heart J. 2007;154(2):260-266. doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2007.01.041
- Krishnamurthy Y, Cooper LB, Parikh KS, et al. Pulmonary Hypertension in the Era of Mechanical Circulatory Support. ASAIO J. 2016;62(5):505-512. doi:10.1097/MAT.0000000000000408
- Thorvaldsen T, Lund LH. Focusing on referral rather than selection for advanced heart failure therapies. Card Fail Rev. 2019;5(1):24-26. doi:10.15420/cfr.2018.35.1
- Morris AA, Khazanie P, Drazner MH, et al. Guidance for timely and appropriate referral of patients with advanced heart failure: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2021;144(15):e238-e250. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001016
- Shams E, Bonnice S, Mayrovitz HN. Diuretic Resistance Associated With Heart Failure. Cureus. 2022;14(1):e21369. Published 2022 Jan 18. doi:10.7759/cureus.21369
- Current and Future Challenges in Mechanical Circulatory Support. Mehra, Mandeep R. Journal of Cardiac Failure, Volume 28, 5-6
- American Heart Association. Common Tests for Heart Failure. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/diagnosing heart-failure/common-tests-for-heart-failure. Accessed May 30, 2025.
- Giannitsi S, Bougiakli M, Bechlioulis A, et al. 6- minute walking test: a useful tool in the management of heart failure patients. Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis. 2019;13:1-10.
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