Disparities in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) use exist for HF hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study in JAMA Network Open. Keith D. Aaronson, MD, MS, and colleagues assessed LVAD inequities and outcomes among 12,310 beneficiaries admitted for HF. Black beneficiaries were 3.0% less likely to receive an LVAD than White beneficiaries; women were 7.9% less likely to receive an LVAD than men. Reduced use was associated with individual poverty and worse neighborhood deprivation, although these measures did not explain disparities. One-year survival was similar by race and sex.
