Comparison of Anticoagulation of Patients Who Underwent Left Ventricular Assist Device, Clinical Experience

Abstract

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have increased the survival of patients with advanced heart failure. In spite its advances, significant bleeding and thrombotic events occur. Unfractioned Heparin (UFH) is most widely preferred anticoagulant for the first days of LVAD follow-up. Heparin discontinuation after overlap with warfarin and achievement of the target INR. In this study, use of enoxaparin (low molecular weight heparin, LMWH) was compared with UFH during the first days of LVAD as an alternative monitoring strategies and clinical results were presented.