About Heart Transplant

Overview of Heart Transplant

When does a patient require a heart transplant?

Patients with advanced Heart Failure, whose condition cannot be relieved by conventional medical or surgical interventions, require Heart Transplantation.

Symptoms of heart failure

A person with heart failure may experience the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Frequent coughing, especially when lying down
• Swollen feet, ankles, and legs due to fluid buildup
• Abdominal swelling and pain
• Fatigue
• Dizziness or fainting

Eligibility of transplant

Patients suffering from end-stage heart disease and under the age of 60 are eligible for heart transplant. The doctor, patient and family must address the following four basic questions to determine whether a transplant should be considered:

• Have all other medical therapies been tried or ruled out?
• Is the patient likely to die without the transplant?
• Is the patient generally in good health other than suffering from heart disease?
• Can the patient adhere to the lifestyle changes which include complex drug treatments and frequent medical examinations, required after a transplant?

Patients who do not meet the above criteria or suffer from other severe diseases, active infections or severe obesity, are not eligible for a heart transplant.