Thirty-one years with someone else's heart

A British man with a transplanted heart set a record for longevity

KM.RUThe name of Briton John McCafferty was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-lived person with a transplanted heart, The Telegraph reports (Brit sets a new record for longest surviving heart transplant patient).

McCafferty underwent surgery after he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, that is, a disease that is considered one of the most common causes of heart failure, scarring on the walls and damage to the muscles of the organ. Then the man was 39 years old.

After the heart transplant, doctors predicted that he would not be able to live for too long. When McCafferty was supposed to have surgery, doctors warned that they would be able to prolong his life for no more than five years. However, the patient, who is now 71 years old, managed to beat the previous record, having lived after surgery for more than 30 years.

According to McCafferty himself, the record set should inspire people who are faced with a similar situation. He also advised to always remain optimistic and look to the future with a positive attitude. During these years, he traveled a lot and led a healthy lifestyle.

Heart transplant operations are carried out only if there is a donor organ. They are indicated for severe diseases, when other operations are simply impossible or extremely risky, and the patient's life expectancy without a heart transplant is small. Most of the patients after a heart transplant return to normal life. To speed up the recovery of the body, experts recommend taking medications as prescribed and visiting cardiologists.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru25.12.2013