A hearttransplantis a major surgery that involves replacing your diseased heart with a healthy donor heart.
It is used as a last resort when drugs and other therapies no longer work in treating advancedheart failure.
The problem can occur asleft-sided heart failure,right-sided heart failure, orcongestive heart failure.
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People chosen to have a heart transplant have the most severe types of heart disease.
This article includes information about heart transplants, why they are done, and the process of getting one.
It also describes risks, signs of problems, and common outcomes.
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Why Are Heart Transplants Performed?
A heart transplant is performed to treat people with end-stage heart failure.
The procedure is done when symptoms persist despite therapy with optimal medical, surgical, and unit treatment.
Heart failure is the primary reason people receive a heart transplant.
Some other reasons transplants are performed include the following:
Who Might Get a Heart Transplant?
People regarded as having the most severe types of heart disease are likely to get a heart transplant.
UNOSis a private nonprofit organization that manages the U.S. organ transplantation system under contract with the federal government.
The process for getting a heart transplant begins with a referral from your cardiologist to a heart transplant center.
You will typically be assigned a transplant coordinator to help you navigate the heart transplant process.
How Are Donors Found for Heart Transplants?
Donors for heart transplants are people who have been declared dead based on tests that establish brain death.
They must be supported on a ventilator to maintain their breathing so their heart can continue beating.
What Happens During a Heart Transplant?
The process that happens during a heart transplant is carefully planned.
It is used to maintain circulation when there is a risk of severe acute rejection.
What Are the Risks Associated With a Heart Transplant?
The risks associated with a heart transplant involve all the risks common to other types of surgery.
Taking these medications can involve the following risks:
What About Organ Rejection?
Organ rejection happens when yourimmune systemmounts an immune response against the transplanted heart.
This occurs because your immune system recognizes your new heart as a foreign body.
Organ rejection is part of your immune system’s normal defense systems.
However, organ rejection can occur immediately after surgery or months or years later.
Having organ rejection does not mean that your organ transplant was a failure.
Between 50% and 80% of heart transplant recipients have at least one rejection episode.
check that to keep all regular follow-up appointments after your transplantation.
For many people, it is possible to lead a normal life after a heart transplant.
There are no specific activity restrictions for people who have heart transplants.
Generally, the heart transplant survival rate is excellent.
In the United States, the average survival rate after heart transplantation is 91%.
A heart transplant enables most people with previous end-stage heart failure to resume a normal life.
At five years after a heart transplant, about 45% of patients work at least part-time.
The median survival rate for people with heart transplants is longer than 12.5 years and it improves every decade.
Are Heart Transplants Covered By Insurance?
Heart transplants are typically covered by both private and public insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
However, the degree of coverage you receive varies widely.
Even with health insurance, you should expect to pay out-of-pocket costs for coinsurance and deductibles.
Summary
A heart transplant is done when there are no other options for treating your diseased heart.
When faced with severe end-stage heart disease, a heart transplant may be your only option to survive.
The process of getting a heart transplant is lengthy and stressful.
While a heart transplant is risky, the survival rates are very good.
A strong support system, adherence to follow-up care, and a medication schedule can support optimal results.
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