When to Refer a Patient for a Heart Transplant

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Drew N. Rosenbaum, M.D. The first heart transplant patient survived only 18 days as the early attempts of heart transplantation were plagued by immune rejection of the transplanted organ. Today, thanks to the many advances in organ transplantation, heart transplant patients typically lead productive lives for years. 75% of heart transplant patients live at least 5 years and nearly 85% return to work. Who’s a candidate for a heart transplant? How long do patients typically wait for a heart transplant and when should we think about a heart transplant for our patients? These are questions I’ll be asking my guest, Drew N. Rosenbaum, M.D., a cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic. The topic for this podcast is “When to Refer a Patient for a Heart Transplant” in honor of 'National Donate Life Month'. Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.