Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly being used for circulatory support in cardiogenic shock patients, although the evidence supporting its use in this context remains insufficient. The aim of the Extracorporeal
Membrane Oxygenation in the Therapy of Cardiogenic Shock (ECMO-CS) trial was to compare immediate implementation of VA-ECMO vs. an initially conservative therapy
(allowing downstream use of VA-ECMO) in patients with rapidly deteriorating or severe cardiogenic shock .