Before we delve into the topic of “end-stage" heart failure, let us first try to understand what is meant by heart failure. As you know, the heart is an organ that pumps blood to all other organs — from the very beginning of life in our mother’s womb until the end of life. It is essential for sustaining the function of all the tissues in the body.

Oxygenated blood from the lungs enters the left-sided chambers of the heart, from where it is pumped to the rest of the body. Similarly, deoxygenated blood from the body is returned to the right side of the heart and then pumped to the lungs.

Heart failure, in simple terms, is the inability or reduced capacity of the heart to perform this vital function. This leads to a build-up of fluid in the lungs and other parts of the body, resulting in the classical symptoms of heart failure — such as breathlessness, fatigue, and swelling of the legs.

Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working entirely (which is known as cardiac arrest), but rather that it is functioning inefficiently or may require support to do so.

Heart failure is generally a progressive disease, and........

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