Organs are obtained from people who give their consent to have certain organs donated. They can also be obtained by permission of next of kin when a suitable donor is considered to be "brain dead." Although almost 40 percent of donated kidneys are surgically removed from living donors, most major organ donations (e.g., the heart, lungs, liver) are pledged while living and removed when the donor dies. Like most organs, the heart can be obtained only from donors who died a "brain death," meaning that the brain died while the body remains on life support.

Donor hearts needn't always be perfect. For example, five-year results for people given hearts with mild-to-moderate left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a thickening of the main pumping chamber, were comparable to those who got hearts with no problems, according to recent research.

Because of the great demand for organ donors, generally healthy people are strongly encouraged to become donors. To become a donor, individuals over the age of 18 can sign a donor card, provide instructions in a legal document or inform relatives that they wish to donate.

Individuals should keep some indication of their willingness to donate on their persons at all times, such as in a wallet or purse, preferably in the form of a signed and witnessed donor card or, in some states, a donor indication on a driver's license.