Heart transplantation keeps its leading position in the treatment of end-stage heart failure (HF). Survival rates and functional status following heart transplantation are excellent, particularly if compared to medical therapy. The process of acute and chronic transplant rejection, however, and the sequelae of immunosuppression, such as infection, malignancy and renal insufficiency, prevents even better results. Therapy with current mechanical circulatory support devices is associated with improving outcome and may become competitive to heart transplantation, at least in selected patients. But long-term results are not yet available.
Keywords: Heart transplantation; immunosuppression; transplant rejection; ventricular assist device.