Mechanical circulatory support is a system designed to help the failing heart in the case of pharmacological support failure and if cardiac surgery is not possible option. The article is devided into four parts. It starts with a short historical overview of mechanical circulatory support development, followed by indications for use with physiological implications. At the end there is a review of the most important devices used today.

        Key words: mechanical circulatory support – intraaortal ballon pump – left ventricular assist device – right ventricular assist device – biventricular assist device – arteficial heart