(NAPSA)-When a
sudden heart attack left 62-year-old motorcycle enthusiast Pete
Kiolbassa with a severely damaged heart, he was afraid he would never
ride his Harley-Davidson again. Like five million Americans, Pete is
suffering from heart failure. Not responding to conventional treatment
options and ineligible for a transplant, his doctor recommended a
mechanical pump to help support his heart.
"After my heart
attack, I felt terrible. I barely had enough energy to put on my socks,"
said Pete. "I thought I wouldn't be able to go home or ride my
motorcycle again."
About Heart Failure
Heart failure
occurs when the heart is diseased, injured or overexerted and unable to
pump enough blood to sustain the body. There is no single cause of heart
failure, although coronary artery disease (clogged arteries) and high
blood pressure are often linked to the condition. It can be difficult to
diagnose because symptoms are often overlooked or mistaken for normal
signs of aging.
Selecting the Right
Treatment
Historically, this
condition has been treated with medications. However, some late-stage
heart failure patients do not respond to this treatment option and, in
certain situations, a heart may be so damaged that a transplant is
required. Out of 100,000 patients in the U.S. that are potential
transplant candidates, only about 2,400 receive hearts each year due to
a shortage of donor hearts.
Due to his age and
other health complications, Pete was unlikely to receive a donor heart.
His doctors recommended he consider a heart pump called the HeartMate
XVE Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). The device is implanted
alongside a patient's heart and is designed to take over the pumping
ability of the left ventricle, pushing blood to the rest of the body.
The HeartMate is the only device approved by the Food & Drug
Administration (FDA) for long-term or permanent support of the heart,
also known as Destination Therapy.
"Pete's heart
failure was steadily getting worse. He didn't qualify for a heart
transplant and needed additional cardiac support. He was a prime
candidate for the HeartMate XVE," said Dr. Mark Slaughter, a cardiac
surgeon at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago. "We've had great
success with patients on heart pumps in the past. Without it, Pete would
still be bedridden in the hospital. With this device, we knew Pete could
return to normal daily activities and enjoy an overall improvement in
his quality of life."
"The HeartMate is
truly life-saving," said Pete. "I can breathe easier and have more
energy to do things I enjoy-including riding my motorcycle, fishing and
boating, which are very important to me. Most importantly, I can spend
time with my wife and watch my grandchildren grow up."
For more
information about heart failure or the HeartMate XVE heart pump, please
visit www.hearthope.com.
