Advanced Heart Failure Therapies (Heart Transplant & LVAD)

For end-stage heart failure unresponsive to medications, transplant or LVAD can be life-saving, restoring function and quality of life.

• Convenient Outpatient Evaluation: Most testing (e.g., labs, imaging, right heart catheterization) is coordinated outpatient—in our clinic or nearby facilities—for your comfort.

• Personal Guidance Throughout: Dr. Sossou, a transplant cardiologist, personally supports you and your family, navigating insurance, evaluations, and partnerships with top transplant centers to secure timely, optimal treatment.

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (“Stiff Heart” – HFpEF)

In HFpEF, the heart muscle appears strong on echo (ejection fraction ≥50%), but stiffness impairs filling, causing significant limitations. Diagnosis often uncovers underlying causes like obesity, inflammation, or infiltrative disease.

• Deep Investigation and Tailored Plans: Dr. Sossou thoroughly evaluates root causes using advanced imaging and biomarkers, then builds effective plans combining patient education, lifestyle modifications (e.g., weight management, exercise), and emerging therapies like SGLT2 inhibitors (proven to reduce events) and GLP-1 agonists for obesity-related HFpEF—resulting in meaningful symptom relief.

Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (“Weak Heart Muscle” – HFrEF)

HFrEF occurs when the heart's pumping ability is reduced (ejection fraction ≤50%), leading to fatigue, shortness of breath, and fluid buildup. Our goal is rapid optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) to reduce symptoms and readmissions.

• Smooth Transitions and Reduced Readmissions: We prioritize seamless hospital-to-home transitions with detailed discharge planning, education, and close follow-up to keep you healthy and out of the hospital.

• Rapid Access for Flares: If symptoms worsen, you'll typically be seen in clinic within 24–72 hours, often with same-day IV diuretics or adjustments to avoid hospitalization.

• Guideline-Driven Optimization: We titrate the four foundational therapies—ARNI/ACEi/ARB, beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid antagonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors—to target doses, adding devices (e.g., ICD/CRT) or advanced options as needed.

• Early Advanced Therapy Referral: For progressing cases, we initiate evaluation early for heart transplant or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to extend life and improve function.

Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies (such as Cardiac Sarcoidosis, Amyloidosis, or Hemochromatosis)

These rare conditions involve abnormal substances depositing in the heart muscle, leading to stiffness, arrhythmias, or weakened pumping—often mimicking more common heart diseases. Early detection is crucial, as targeted therapies can halt progression and improve outcomes.

• Dr. Sossou's Expertise: As a heart transplant specialist with advanced training in infiltrative cardiomyopathies, Dr. Sossou excels at early diagnosis using cutting-edge tools like cardiac MRI, nuclear imaging (e.g., technetium scans for amyloidosis or FDG-PET for sarcoidosis), and genetic testing.

• We create personalized treatment plans that fit your lifestyle, incorporating disease-modifying therapies (e.g., stabilizers for transthyretin amyloidosis), immunosuppression for sarcoidosis, or iron chelation/phlebotomy for hemochromatosis—while managing heart failure symptoms aggressively.

• In select patients with severe, treatment-refractory PAH or CTEPH, lung transplantation offers the best chance for long-term survival and improved quality of life. Dr. Sossou is well-connected at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center—the only lung transplant facility in New Jersey—and personally guides patients and their families through every step of the evaluation, listing, and transplantation process, ensuring timely access to this life-saving therapy.

• We prioritize rapid access for symptom flares, outpatient infusions when possible, and early referral for advanced options like transplant or mechanical support.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive condition characterized by elevated pressure in the pulmonary arteries, leading to right ventricular strain, heart failure, and reduced quality of life if untreated.

Early diagnosis and specialized management are critical, as targeted therapies can significantly improve symptoms, exercise capacity, and survival

Our practice, led by Dr. Sossou with expertise in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology, provides multidisciplinary, personalized care for all forms of PH, including complex cases often linked to heart failure or infiltrative diseases, offering:

• Comprehensive diagnostics in-clinic or coordinated locally.

• Tailored plans integrating latest therapies

• Close monitoring to avoid hospitalizations, with 24-72 hour urgent visits.