Partial left ventricular support in advanced heart failure
Heart failure is a common condition, and the number of people with advanced heart failure continues to increase. We need new treatments that improve patients’ symptoms and extend life. Mechanical pumps can be used to help the heart beat more strongly, but currently these pumps are only used as a temporary measure or to support a patient waiting for heart transplant. Recently the new CircuLite Synergy pump has come into use. It is the smallest pump manufactured to date, and doesn't cover the full work of the heart, instead providing partial support. One interesting thing about this approach is that taking some strain off the heart might allow the muscle to repair and rebuild its own strength. This process is called reverse remodelling, and is the topic of this research. The researchers at Imperial College London want to see if partial support can encourage heart muscle repair. They also want to examine the best techniques for assessing this, including new scanning and molecular tests, and study some practical aspects of the pump to do with blood clotting.
Project details
| Grant amount | £195,223 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Fellowships |
| Application type | Clinical Research Training Fellowship |
| Start Date | 01 August 2013 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | FS/13/34/30173 |
| Status | Complete |
