BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a common disease globally. Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are widely used to treat HF. In contrast to the natural heart, different VADs generate different blood flow waves in the aorta. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether the different inflow rate waveforms from the ascending aorta generate far-reaching hemodynamic influences on the human aortic arch. METHODS: An aortic geometric model was reconstructed based on computed tomography data of a patient with HF. A total of five numerical simulations were conducted, including a case with the inflow rate waveforms from the ascending aorta with normal physiological conditions, two HF, and two with typical VAD support. The hemodynamic parameters, wall shear stress (WSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), relative residence time (RRT), and the strength of the helical flow, were calculated. RESULTS: In contrast to the natural heart, numerical simulation showed HF decreasing WSS and inducing higher OSI and RRT. Moreover, HF weakened helical flow strength. Pulsatile flow VADs will elevated the WSS, inducing some helical flow, while continuous flow VAD could not produce any helical flow. CONCLUSIONS: HF leads to an adverse hemodynamic environment by decreasing WSS and reducing the helical flow strength. Pulsatile flow VADs are more advantageous than the continuous flow VADs on hemodynamic effects. Thus, pulsatile flow VADs may be a better option for patients with HF.