Heart Transplant Diagnosis: suffering from end-stage heart disease and under the age of 60

Heart Transplant - Diagnosis

Who needs a heart transplant?

Patients suffering from end-stage heart failure where their condition cannot be relieved by conventional medical or surgical treatment may need a heart transplant.

Who is eligible for a heart transplant?

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

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

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