The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)reports criteria for selecting a patient for urgent heart transplant.
Criteria for urgent heart transplant:
(1) cardiac index < 2.2 L/min per square meter
(2) systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg
(3) pulmonary capillary wedge pressure > 15 mm Hg
(4) continuous infusion of a high-dose IV inotrope
(5) arterial lactate > 4 mmol/L
(6) increase in serum transaminases
(7) complications of mechanical circulatory support (emboli, infection, mechanical failure, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia)
If the patient is on inotropes then the status is valid for 1 week, else it is valid for 2 weeks.
