What is a heart transplant? A heart transplant is a surgical procedure that replaces a diseased heart with a healthy heart. Why do I need a heart transplant? Patients with severe heart failure may need a heart transplant. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood properly and can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fatigue or swelling in the lower extremities/abdomen. Before a heart transplant, doctors will first try other treatments and will recommend a heart transplant only if all other treatments have failed. What do I need to do before a heart transplant? There are a number of steps to go through before a heart transplant. Your doctor will send you to a heart transplant center, where you will have a physical exam and blood tests and talk to different doctors who will ask about: other medical problems and medications lifestyle (such as smoking, drinking alcohol or using drugs) family and other support systems You may also have a device to help your heart pump blood, called a left ventricular assist device (LVAD for short), which can be used to help your heart pump. LVAD”, which is implanted into the chest cavity. Some patients have an LVAD implanted before a heart transplant, while others use an LVAD as an alternative to a heart transplant. Not every patient sent to a heart transplant center will receive a transplant, but certain conditions need to be met before a heart transplant will be considered, for example, you need to: Have severe heart failure that has not improved with other treatments Be free of certain other medical problems, such as cancer or infection Agree to stop smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs – these behaviors can damage the new heart Be willing to take medication for the rest of your life after surgery If you meet all the requirements, your doctor will register your information. When a new heart is available for a patient waiting for a heart transplant, the doctor will decide which patient will get the implant. Your doctor will keep a close eye on your health while you are waiting for a heart transplant. Sometimes patients develop other medical problems while waiting for a heart transplant and may need to wait longer for the doctor to treat these problems. What happens when a heart is available? When a heart is available, the doctor will choose the patient who is the best match for that heart. Patients waiting for a heart transplant need to have a cell phone or pager with them at all times so they can be contacted quickly. You will need to get to the hospital as soon as you are notified of the heart transplant. What happens after the heart transplant? After surgery, most patients stay in the hospital for several weeks before going home. In the hospital and at home, your doctor will monitor your condition and perform tests to make sure your new heart is working properly. After the heart transplant, your doctor will continue to perform routine physical exams and heart tests. Heart transplant patients need regular visits and medications throughout their lives, including anti-rejection medications, which help the body’s infection-fighting system (known as the immune system) accept the new heart. Normally, the immune system helps keep the body healthy by attacking foreign objects (foreign bodies) in the body, and anti-rejection medications help prevent the body from attacking the new heart. What problems can occur after a heart transplant? Most patients do well after surgery and are able to work and be active. However, some problems can occur immediately or years after the heart transplant, including: Rejection of the new heart – Even though the patient is on anti-rejection medications, the body may still reject and attack the new heart. Narrowing of the blood vessels in the new heart Side effects from anti-rejection drugs – These drugs have short-term side effects, such as an increased chance of infection, and long-term side effects, such as an increased chance of certain types of cancer.