Criteria for receiving left ventricular assist devices as destination therapy
| Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Criteria |
| New York Heart Association class IV (severe limitations) |
| Intra-aortic balloon pump (> 7 days) (or peak VO2 < 14 mL/kg/min) |
| No response to medical therapy |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction < 25% |
| Adequate right ventricular function |
| Major contraindications to heart transplant |
| Smoking cessation < 6 months |
| Substance dependency |
| Inadequate decision-making capacity |
| Irreversible pulmonary hypertension (> 5 Wood units) |
| Psychosocial issues |
| Other end-organ issues |