In the United States, 1 in 5 adults will face heart failure in their lifetime and it is the leading cause of hospitalization for people 65+ year of age.  Acute heart failure is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention and urgent therapy; it is responsible for the hospitalization of approximately 1 million Americans each year in the United States alone.  Short term mechanical circulatory support devices, also called cardiac assist devices, are used to increase the blood circulation of acute heart failure patients and give them treatment options: time to recover and discharge, or time to qualify for a long-term mechanical support device or heart transplant.