Obese Unlikely to Get Heart Transplants

Morbidly obese patients with advanced heart failure rarely lose enough weight to qualify for heart transplantation, making ventricular assist devices destination therapy for many of them, researchers said. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) provided adequate circulatory support as obese patients tried to qualify for heart transplants. The patients had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 39, which fell below that value in only a few cases during a year of follow-up, Dr. Jerry Estep reported...Full Story