Blood pressure and adverse events during continuous flow left ventricular assist device support

Adverse events (AEs), such as intracranial hemorrhage, thromboembolic event, and progressive aortic insufficiency, create substantial morbidity and mortality during continuous flow left ventricular assist device support yet their relation to blood pressure control is underexplored. A multicenter retrospective review of patients supported for at least 30 days and ≤18 months by a continuous flow left ventricular assist device from June 2006 to December 2013 was conducted. All outpatient Doppler blood pressure (DOPBP) recordings were averaged up to the time of intracranial hemorrhage, thromboembolic event, or progressive aortic insufficiency. DOPBP was analyzed as a categorical variable grouped as high (>90 mm Hg; n=40), intermediate (80-90 mm Hg; n=52), and controlled (