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Heart disease is Britain's biggest killer, and can affect men, women and children. Every day, over 700 people in the UK suffer a heart attack and more than 300 people die due to heart disease. Heart disease currently accounts for 41% of all deaths, and this percentage is increasing.
With age, it is common for the heart to be partially damaged or to gradually degrade, becoming less efficient at pumping blood. This reduction in oxygen circulation seriously affects quality of life. Transplantation of a donor heart offers hope for a very few patients, but the demand far exceeds the supply.
To help fill the void or where transplantation is not feasible, supply of mechanical assistance to a weakened heart has been commonly used for a number of years. It has been proven to provide a chance for the heart to recuperate, and partially recover.
These web pages describe the development of a cardiac assist device, which will provide mechanical assistance to weakened hearts.
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