University of Virginia Health System

Heart Transplantation

Research Activities

The University of Virginia's Heart Transplant Program is an important component in our complete range of therapeutic options for patients experiencing heart failure. Our research activities help to keep the program focused on advancing the cardiac field and on assessing new options for our patients.  

The Effects of Massage Therapy on Cardiac Transplant Patients Following Coronary Angiography

The transplant team has completed an assessment of massage therapy as a means of reducing pain and anxiety and increasing overall satsifaction with a coronary angiography procedure. The study, confirming positive effects of massage therapy, involved 40 patients assigned to experiemental and control groups. American Journal of Critical care, May 2006, V. 15, No. 3, p. 332.

Clinical Trials

Research that is relevant to transplantation is often carried out by the heart failure research team. This includes numerous programs related to the assessment of devices, drugs, and surgical techniques showing promise for the treatment of serious heart ailments. Recently completed projects have included a 5-yr. comparative study of the benefits of implantable defibrillators versus drug treatment for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. UVa was among the top 25 sites world-wide participating in this large-scale study (results of which have helped to change the guidelines for the treatment of heart failure patients). Other research activities have included participation in multi-center trials assessing the use of beta blockers in patients found to be NYHA Class 3 or 4 in their severity of heart failure and others confirming the benefit of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in certain patients with heart failure.

The Heart Failure Research Team at UVa continues to make contributions to the field of cardiac care by participating in pivotal research that assures our patients will have the most current technologies available to them. If you would like to consider being included in one of these protocol-driven programs, please contact the transplant office at 1-434-982-4456.