Heart transplant - before and after

In the past, heart transplants usually failed, because the person's immune system rejected the transplanted heart. Nowadays, due to the improved and efficient immunosuppressive drugs the immune rejection can be over passed and heart transplants become more successfully. Patients can expect in average at more than 5 years to live after a heart transplant.

Heart transplant is an end-of-the-line treatment, and it is applied when all other treatments fail and the patient is at risk of dying or having a very poor life quality. Unfortunately, annually a significant number of people waiting for a heart transplant die before one is found - donors are rare and a donated heart most compile to some rigorous selections and factors such as age, time passed after death, sex.

Also, the person in need of a heart transplant must also, suit with the following requirements:

• Age under 60
• Other treatments have failed to reduce the disease
• Apart from heart problems, the person is in a good health and after heart transplant his/her life quality may increase
• Cardiomyopathy -- the heart muscle is inefficient and became weakened
• The heart is damaged by irreversible processes, such as heart attacks, infection, heart diseases, cardiomyopathy.

• Tiredness and negative emotions - for the next 3 to 6 months after the surgery. It is important that relatives to offer compassion and understanding during this period.
• Depression - a persistent problem, characteristic to a smaller number of patients
• Loss of memory - normal memory will recover in 6 months, also as the intellectual functions. Forgetfulness, characteristic for this period, is due to tiny clots in the brain that block the smallest cerebral arteries.
• To avoid complications and increase the chances of better recovery, the patient will follow a strict diet, will be more active, will pay attention to his/her lifestyle.

Updated: February, 16 2008 21:52:16

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