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Dawn C. VAD Coordinator

Canadian Cardiovascular Society Position Statement: Fitness to Drive Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Thu, 07/12/2012 - 2:05PM

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society has put out an updated position statement regarding their recommendations for allowing LVAD Recipients to drive. They state "Based on new evidence applied to the Society's "Risk of Harm" formula, it has been determined that patients with continuous-flow devices who are doing well 2 months post-implantation are fit to hold noncommercial class drivers? licenses."

Link to the article is: http://www.onlinecjc.ca/article/S0828-282X(11)01426-7/fulltext

What do you do at your institution? What are your thoughts?

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Anonymous

Fri, 07/27/2012 - 9:35AM

This is fantastic news. We would like to get the laws changed here in Australia. Would be interested to know how you achieved this in Canada to get an idea how we might introduce it here. Some of our destination patients have been not allowed to drive for > 2 years now.

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Tonya E.

Sat, 07/28/2012 - 8:52AM

The state of Virginia has recently changed many laws related to driving. The new law are now in place as of July 1. The law now prohibits VAD patients from driving. The wording implies a lack of knowledge related to the DT indication and states that patients can apply to drive after transplant. The Virginia VAD coordinators are seeking to organize a response to this law. The article posted is timely. I invite all coordinators to read their state laws and be on the look out for changes. Please share any thoughts or ideas. Tonya Elliott Fairfax.