A heart transplant is a life-saving surgery performed on chosen individuals who are likely to die without the intervention. It includes the removal of a poorly-functioning heart and replacing it with a heart from a deceased donor. This complicated procedure brings a new chance at life, but also a lifetime of increased responsibility and lifestyle modifications.
Expenses
A heart transplant surgery is expensive due to the complexity of the procedure, the length of stay in the hospital and the medications used, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Expensive medications must be taken for the rest of the patient's life. Blood testing, physician examinations and heart biopsies must also be performed indefinitely. To meet these needs, health insurance must be maintained or the expenses paid out of pocket.
Time Spent
Patients who have a cardiac transplant must spend an extended amount of time in the hospital. Some patients are released in a week, explains Cleveland Clinic, but patients with complications may need to be hospitalized for weeks. Lab work and physician appointments are frequent in the first year, with reduced frequency in succeeding years, according to MayoClinic.com. The patient must spend time strengthening his body as part of the recovery process. Medication must be taken on a strict schedule to avoid rejection of the donor heart. This takes several minutes each day and may cause minor lifestyle changes, such as not sleeping late on the weekends.
Potential for Infection
The drugs taken to avoid rejection of the donor heart significantly suppress the immune system. This can lead to life-threatening infection from cytomegalovirus, a herpes virus that is mild in most individuals. A common bacterial infection, virus or skin infection can quickly become severe in an immunosuppressed recipient, notes the Cleveland Clinic. The individual must avoid contagious people and situations where infection is likely.
Risk of Rejection
The patient's body never accepts the donor heart as a natural body part. It is ready to reject the organ and may employ one of several methods to do so. This can happen even when the patient takes his medication exactly as prescribed, notes MayoClinic.com. Rejection can cause heart damage or death.
Medication Side Effects
Immunosuppressant and other medications needed after a cardiac transplant can have severe side effects but most people find the effects manageable. Weight gain, changes in appearance, kidney damage, high blood pressure and diabetes are possible side effects or complications of the use of these medications. Cancer is a serious possible consequence of immunosuppressant drug use, explains MayoClinic.com.
References
- MedlinePlus: Heart Transplant
- MayoClinic.com: Heart Transplant
- Cleveland Clinic: Heart Transplant
- Columbia University Medical Center Department of Surgery: Heart Transplant: Surgery & Postoperative Care
- "Medical-Surgical Nursing"; Donna Ignatavicius, M.S., R.N. and Linda Workman, Ph.D., R.N.; 2002
