The demographics of patients undergoing heart transplantation in the United States have shifted over the last 10 years, with an increasing number of racial and ethnic minorities undergoing heart transplant. Multiple studies have shown that survival of African American patients after heart transplantation is lower compared with other ethnic groups. We review the data supporting the presence of this outcome disparity and examine the multiple mechanisms that contribute. With an increasingly diverse population in the United States, knowledge of these disparities, their mechanisms, and ways to improve outcomes is essential.
Keywords: LVAD; cardiomyopathy; health disparities; heart transplantation; race/ethnicity.
Copyright © 2016 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.