Scrutinizing mechanical circulatory support in cardiogenic shock: Have we jumped the gun?

 

by Enzo Lüsebrink, Hugo Lanz and Holger Thiele 

 

Critical Care volume 28, Article number: 80 (2024) Published: 15 March 2024

 

 

Abstract

Despite increasing therapeutic options and disposable resources, cardiogenic shock (CS) remains a formidable condition with high mortality. Today, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and microaxial flow devices (Impella, Abiomed, Danvers, USA) are established forms of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in CS, with increasing application over the years. Despite this trend, incorporation into current ESC (Class IIa, evidence C) and AHA/ACC (Class IIa, evidence B-NR) guidelines is based nearly exclusively on observational results. Despite these recommendations and increasing application, current evidence from randomized controlled trials has not provided clear mortality benefit. Thus, reflection on current evidence is hereby justified.