Final answer:
The therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure who are not candidates for heart transplantation includes medications and surgical procedures such as coronary bypass surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure who are not candidates for heart transplantation includes medications and surgical procedures.
Medications such as ACE inhibitors and diuretics are used to relieve heart failure symptoms. If the patient isn't responding to these medications, additional medications called beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers may be prescribed to slow certain types of irregular heartbeat, such as atrial fibrillation.
In some cases, coronary bypass surgery may be performed. This surgical procedure grafts a replacement vessel obtained from another part of the body to bypass the blocked area in the heart. However, this procedure is not recommended for patients with stable but diminished cardiac capacity since it can lead to loss of mental acuity. Long-term changes to lifestyle, including diet and exercise, along with medications to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and reduce clotting, are also an important aspect of therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure.