What to find out about Dick Cheney’s coronary heart hassle and eventual transplant

Related Press

Former Vice President Dick Cheney battled coronary heart illness for many of his grownup life, a life prolonged thanks partly to a coronary heart transplant in 2012.

Cheney, who died Monday as a consequence of problems of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular illness, had his first coronary heart assault on the unusually younger age of 37. He would go on to outlive 4 extra earlier than his coronary heart declined sufficient to qualify for that transplant.

Coronary heart illness is the nation’s No. 1 killer and Cheney’s many years of well being issues illustrate how coronary heart hassle can accumulate — in addition to the various therapies.

Cheney’s coronary heart historical past

Through the years, Cheney underwent quadruple bypass surgical procedure to reroute blood circulation round clogged coronary heart arteries in addition to much less invasive artery-clearing angioplasties. He had a pacemaker implanted to observe his heartbeat. He additionally skilled blood vessel issues in his legs.

Coronary heart assaults harm the center’s muscle, finally making it tougher to pump correctly. After Cheney’s fifth coronary heart assault in 2010, he acknowledged “growing congestive coronary heart failure.” He acquired one other implant, a small pump known as a “left ventricular help system” or LVAD. That system took over the job of his coronary heart’s primary pumping chamber, powered by batteries worn in a fanny pack.

Cheney had a coronary heart transplant in 2012

Then in March 2012, on the age of 71, Cheney acquired a coronary heart transplant. Like him, greater than 70% of coronary heart transplant recipients dwell no less than 5 years, many longer. Cheney was older than a typical coronary heart transplant recipient; most are 50 to 64 years outdated. However he was certainly one of 362 folks age 65 or older who acquired a brand new coronary heart in 2012, based on the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant Community, or OPTN.

Coronary heart transplants are growing, however not quick sufficient

There’s an enormous want for extra transplantable hearts. A whole bunch of 1000’s of adults undergo from superior coronary heart failure but many are by no means positioned on the transplant record, partly due to the organ scarcity. In response to the organ community, 4,572 folks acquired a coronary heart transplant final 12 months. That variety of has grown step by step since Cheney’s — there have been 2,378 transplants in 2012. So have the variety of recipients 65 or older — 905 final 12 months.

The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives help from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Division of Science Training and the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis. The AP is solely accountable for all content material.