Abstract

For selected patients living with the most advanced stages of heart failure, cardiac transplantation is considered the gold-standard treatment, providing substantial improvements in survival and quality of life. However, heart transplantation is not without risk, and almost all transplant recipients will suffer some form of complication, from mild to potentially fatal,and should be informed of this prior to transplant. This review highlights the most frequent complications following heart transplant, including rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, graft dysfunction, chronic kidney disease, infection, and malignancy. A detailed overview of the incidence, risk factors, consequences, and treatments of these complications are discussed. Health care professionals must work closely with patients and their families to prevent, identify, and treat such complications if and when they do arise. Such collaboration is crucial in helping to meet the ultimate goals of heart transplantation: improved survival and quality of life.

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