Heart Donation

The heart is the hardest working muscle in our bodies, responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. Just like any other muscle, it can be subject to fatigue, especially if it has been weakened by a number of cardiovascular diseases. When damaged enough, a patient’s only option may be a heart transplant. This usually follows conditions such as coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy or weakening of the heart muscle. Donation is key to saving the life of a patient who is waiting for a heart transplant as the severity of the weakened heart is critical.

Who can donate heart?  Finding a donor heart can be difficult. The heart must be donated by someone who is brain-dead but is still on life support.  The heart is part of the autonomic nervous system and thus has the ability to beat independently of the brain as long as it has oxygen.  The donor heart must be matched as closely as possible to your tissue type to reduce the chance that your body will reject it.

Read picture story here: http://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/families-meet-for-first-time-after-little-girl-receives-heart-donation-from-baby-boy