A heart transplant candidate may be designated high urgency if certain findings are present.
Patient selection: candidate for heart transplant.
Special regulations apply for children and for retransplant.
Criteria for high urgency:
(1) cardiac index < 2.21 L/min per square meter
(2) pulmonary capillary wedge pressure > 10 mm Hg
(3) venous oxygen saturation < 55%
(4) inotrope therapy (dobutamine > 7.5 µg/kg/min OR milrinone > 0.5 µg/kg/min for >= 48 hours)
(5) one or more of the following:
(5a) serum sodium < 136 mmol/L
(5b) serum creatinine increase despite treatment
(5c) increase in serum liver transaminases
(5d) deficit in cerebral perfusion
(6) complication of mechanical circulatory support (device failure, device infection, repeated device-related cerebral events)
The status is valid for 8 weeks.
