Final answer:
Signs of heart transplant rejection can include shortness of breath, severe abdominal pain, new bradycardia, hypotension, and decreased ejection fraction. These clinical manifestations suggest the new heart is not functioning properly and could be under attack by the immune system. Depression is not directly indicative of transplant rejection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assessment of a patient following a heart transplant is critical for detecting signs of potential transplant rejection. Clinical manifestations that may suggest rejection of the transplanted heart include:
- Shortness of breath: Indicates the heart is struggling to pump effectively, possibly due to rejection.
- Severe abdominal pain: Could signal complications related to circulation and blood supply that the heart is now responsible for.
- New bradycardia: A slower than normal heart rate may indicate the heart is not functioning properly.
- Hypotension: Low blood pressure may reflect poor heart function or failure.
- Decreased ejection fraction: Demonstrates a reduced capacity of the heart to pump blood, potentially due to the immune system attacking the transplanted heart.
Depression, while a serious concern, is not directly indicative of heart transplant rejection, but rather could be associated with the psychological stress of the transplantation process. To reduce the likelihood of rejection, patients typically take immunosuppressive drugs to decrease their immune response, while careful monitoring is essential for early detection and management of rejection.