How long is the wait for a heart?
This page provides general guidance on average waiting times, but every patient is different. Your waiting time may be much shorter or longer
Key points
- The average wait for a deceased donor heart transplant in the UK depends how unwell you are, and whether you’re on the Urgent or Super-Urgent list
- Patients on the Super-Urgent list have the shortest wait but are critically ill
- It also depends on your Blood Group and height and weight
- If you have antibodies that may react with the donor heart, your wait is likely to be prolonged
- Your transplant team will try to predict how long you might wait for a heart
What is the average wait for a heart transplant?
For patients who are initially placed on the Routine list, the average wait for a deceased donor heart transplant in the UK is 18-24 months.
This includes those patients who deteriorated and were transferred to the Urgent list.
Some patients wait much longer than average, some wait a shorter time. Patients on the Super-Urgent list have the shortest wait but are critically ill.
