Handling An Emergency; Traveling And Transport - HeartWare Ventricular Assist System Patient Manual

12 HANDLING AN EMERGENCY
A back‐up controller and charged batteries must be available at all times. The controller should be
exchanged if it fails. A controller failure is a high alarm and the Controller Display will tell you to
"Change Controller" (see Section 6 .2.2, "How to Change the Controller"). Call your physician
immediately if you notice a sudden change in how your pump works, feels or sounds (even if there is
no alarm). If there is an emergency such as an urgent or life‐threatening problem, call your local
emergency medical services and then your physician, if possible.
Contact your physician for any of the following conditions:
 Numbness, tingling or weakness in any limb
 Blurred vision or speech problems
 Shortness of breath or dizziness
 Any pain, including chest pain, unrelieved headache
 Fever (take your temperature daily)
 Any redness, swelling or drainage around the driveline exit site
 Unusual bleeding or bruising
 Unusually dark urine
 Any condition where you feel "unwell"
 High and medium controller alarms
Call Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for any of the following conditions:
 Seizure or convulsion
 Loss of consciousness
 Awake but unresponsive
 Sudden fall or collapse
 Inability to talk or move body parts
 Heart stops
 VAD stops
13 TRAVELING AND TRANSPORT
As you resume activities of daily living, you may wish to travel away from home. Prior to making
travel plans, talk with your physician to make sure it is safe for you to travel. Once you are approved
for travel, your physician or VAD coordinator will work with you to ensure you are prepared for
traveling safely. Always remember to take all prescribed medication with you and to make sure you
have emergency contact information.
HeartWare® Ventricular Assist System Patient Manual
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