Cardiac allograft vasculopathy.
The purpose of this article is to discuss the pathogenesis, characteristics, and treatment modalities for heart transplant recipients with cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Cardiac transplantation has become an acceptable mainstream treatment for end-stage cardiac disease. Unfortunately, CAV is the leading cause of death after the first year of transplant. CAV is an accelerated form of obliterative coronary artery disease that occurs in the heart transplant recipient. Currently, retransplantation is the only definitive treatment. Ethical concerns and the shortage of donor organs present a huge obstacle to retransplantation and the long-term outcome of heart transplant recipients.
Aftercare↗