Mechanical Circulatory Support Therapy in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) includes temporary and durable mechanical devices used for two sets of indications: 1. acute heart failure (HF) secondary sepsis, a myocardial infarction, or pulmonary emboli, and 2. for chronic end-stage HF secondary to worsening cardiomyopathy despite guideline driven medical treatment. This article is to aide cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in understanding the history of MCS therapy, the care of the MCS patient in the cardiac ICU, the critical and collaborative role of transplant teams with MCS therapy, educational needs for a successful discharge, and implications for education and shared decision-making when placing these devices.