Multicenter exploration of specialist palliative care in patients with left ventricular assist devices - a retrospective study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The number of advanced heart failure patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) is increasing. Despite guideline-recommendations, little is known about specialist palliative care involvement in LVAD-patients, especially in Europe. This study aims to investigate timing and setting of specialist palliative care in LVAD-patients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective multicenter study in 2022. Specialist palliative care services in German LVAD-centers were identified and invited to participate. Forty adult LVAD-patients (mean age 65 years (SD 7.9), 90% male) from seven centers that received a specialist palliative care consultation during hospitalization were included.

Results

In 37 (67.3%) of the 55 LVAD-centers, specialist palliative care was availa

SUBMITTER: Tenge T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11421205 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature