Implanting LVAD may help obese patients awaiting heart transplant to lose weight

For people awaiting heart transplant, Left Vetricular Assist Devices (LVADs) can mean the difference between life and death. They help a person's own weakened heart continue pumping until a donor heart becomes available.

Physician scientists from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute say that in addition, LVADs can help obese transplant patients lose weight. That's important because, just as obesity is a risk factor for heart failure, it's also associated with poor outcomes after a heart transplant.

Among 19 obese patients who received an LVAD while awaiting a transplant, researchers noted a loss of about 12 percent of body weight--nearly double the amount of weight lost by patients who were not obese. Researchers say a combination of factors may be at work. The device possibly caused more calories to be consumed while simultaneously also resulting in decreased caloric intake. In addition, the LVAD allowed the patients to become more active, improve their overall conditioning and expend more calories.

“LVADs could prove to be helpful in improving obese patients’ outcomes,” said Dr. Ernst Schwarz, director of Multidisciplinary Heart Failure Research at the institute.