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Destination therapy is a therapy that is final rather than being a transitional stage until another therapy—thus, in transportation metaphor, a destination in itself rather than merely a bridge or road to the destination. The term usually refers to ventricular assist devices or mechanical circulatory support to keep the existing heart going, not just until a heart transplant can occur, but for the rest of the patient's life expectancy. It is thus a course of treatment for severe (e.g., NYHA class IV/ACC stage D) heart failure patients who are not likely candidates for transplant. Heart failure is a leading cause of death in industrialized economies. In the United States alone, an estimated 5.7 million Americans suffer from chronic heart failure (CHF). It is responsible for over 250,000 deaths annually, and more than 600,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in the United States. Among those suffering from serious heart illness some are, for a variety of possible medical circumstances, ineligible for a heart transplant. Destination therapy provides a possibility to extend their lives and improve their quality of life. In addition, destination therapy may in some cases turn out to remedy the condition that excluded transplantation Estimates place the population in the United States that may benefit from destination therapy at 50,000 – 100,000 patients per year. The addressable population outside of the US is thought be similar in size. ==Indications== In order for a patient to be recommended for destination therapy with an LVAD, he/she will have presented with end-stage heart failure, and will be ineligible for a transplant due to age, additional health problems, or other complications. In addition, patients may be eligible who are not suitable for heart transplant suffer from other circulatory conditions unrelated to the heart. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「destination therapy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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