Dr. Babar Basir: Importance of Door-To-Support in Cardiogenic Shock

Babar Basir, D.O., discusses the evolving understanding of the importance of unloading with Impella® heart pump in patients with cardiogenic shock. “I think it’s a lot different now, in 2024, than it was in 2016,” he explains, noting that eight years ago many clinicians were still not familiar with mechanical circulatory support and Impella. “I think that we’ve done a lot of growing within the past eight years.”

“I think the biggest challenge,” Dr. Basir explains, “is just getting people to adopt and to understand that an Impella device can actively unload, help and reverse patients’ cardiogenic shock.” Interventional cardiologists, he notes, often focus on door-to-balloon time, but Dr. Basir emphasizes, “the focus in cardiogenic shock likely needs to be shifted from door-to-balloon to door-to-support.” While not denying the importance of revascularization, he explains that supporting and reversing cardiogenic shock is “a paramount therapy” and vitally important for teams to consider when caring for patients with cardiogenic shock.