Guest Lecture

Question 1

Patients on an LVAD typically have ____ pulse rate

Answer 1

No pulse rate because the machine provides continuous flow of blood

Question 2

A drop in LVAD pump flow may indicate what?

Answer 2

Pump failure

Question 3

What should you do if LVAD pump power continually increases overtime

Answer 3

Speak with team because an increase of 10 watts could mean a thrombus

Question 4

What should you do if LVAD pump speed changes.

Answer 4

Speak with team because this could be an abnormal condition like a suction event

Question 5

What should you monitor for patients on an LVAD

Answer 5

Risk of bleeding, infections,

Check INR (coagulation)

Check RBC count

WBC count and LDH

Question 6

What is the prognosis for survival 1 year after a heart transplant

Answer 6

Less than 50%

Question 7

Post op heart transplant patients need to worry about what?

Answer 7

Avoiding infection

Sternal precautions

Slower response to activity

Question 8

Patients who have a heart transplant have a denervated heart at first, this means that…

Answer 8

Higher resting BPM

Slower to respond to activity

NO angina w/ hypoxia

Problems with orthostatic hypotension