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Educational Resources for Patients Considering a Left Ventricular Assist Device

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Submitted by

Mark Ferguson

Source

Source Name: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes

Source URL: http://circoutcomes.ahajournals.org/content/early/2014/10/14/CIRCOUTCOMES.114.00…

Author(s)

Matthew C. Iacovetto, Daniel D. Matlock, Colleen K. McIlvennan, Jocelyn S. Thompson, William Bradley, Shane J. LaRue, and Larry A. Allen

This survey of publicly available information on LVAD for patients considering such therapy identified numerous flaws in the materials. All discussed benefits, few discussed surgical issues, quality of life, and complications. Some had outdated statistics, some were written above a 3rd grade level, and most did not meet international standards. The perception among patients was that the materials were strongly biased towards LVAD therapy.