Best Ways To Prevent And Treat Cardiogenic Shock

Ventricular Assist Device

A ventricular assist device (VAD) may be used to treat a patient in cardiogenic shock due to a damaged ventricle within the heart. A ventricular assist device is a mechanical pump that can be implanted into the individual's heart to assist it with pumping blood from the ventricles to the other regions throughout the body. This device can be used on a temporary basis while the heart regains its strength to efficiently pump blood by itself, or it can be used temporarily while the patient is awaiting a heart transplant. A VAD can also be used as a long-term treatment for ventricle-failure induced cardiogenic shock. This typically only happens if the individual is not a good candidate for a heart transplant. A ventricular assist device takes over the function of the damaged ventricle so the heart can still pump blood normally. This prevents the patient from going into repeated cardiogenic shock as a result of the affected ventricle's failure to function. The implantation of a VAD involves open heart surgery and does carry risks, however, it is an effective way to treat this specific underlying cause of cardiogenic shock.