Right Heart Failure
Patient Management
Importance of Identifying Right Ventricular Failure (RVF) Early
- RVF can occur after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), after durable LVAD implantation, post-cardiotomy or post-transplant
- RVF increases the risk of cardiogenic shock, high-grade atrioventricular-conduction block and in-hospital mortality1
- RVF can lead to longer ICU stays, higher short-term mortality and worsening end-organ dysfunction
Patient Management Issues
Learn about the multiple aspects of patient management, including access point management, positioning and repositioning, handling alarms, weaning and escalation and managing the purge system.
Calculate Total Heparin Rate
Learn how to use the infusion history screen to account for heparin in the purge fluid when calculating total heparin rate to avoid serotherapeutic dosing.
Handling Impella RP® Suction Alarms
Suction is most often caused by inadequate preload or malposition.
As with all other Impella® heart pumps, if a suction alarm occurs:
- Decrease P-level to break suction.
- Evaluate patient volume status. Maintain a positive CVP.
- Check Impella RP position and adjust as needed using chest X-ray, fluoroscopy, or echocardiography.
- When suction is resolved, return to previous P-level.
If position and preload are acceptable and suction cannot be resolved at P-2 or P-3, momentarily stop the Impella RP to break the suction event and restart immediately.
Note that this is different from handling suction alarms with other left-sided Impella heart pumps.
NPS-2623