Advanced heart failure is a heterogeneous condition unified by a very high mortality unless right treatment is instituted at the right time. The first step is understanding the mechanism leading to instability: hemodynamic or ischemic. Right kind of therapy; drugs (ionotropic) or IABP or other cardiac assist devices should be chosen according to mechanism of insult as well as degree of insult. Drugs such as ionotropes are effective only in very early course but if the decompensation has progressed beyond a certain point device such as IABP may be effective but again only early in the course when CPO? 0.6. Beyond a certain point, even IABP may not be effective: here only Impella (2.5, CP or 5) or Tandem Heart may be effective. However, beyond a certain point CPO < 0.53, even these devices may not be effective. Thus crux of the matter is choice of a right device/drug and timing of its institution.
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