<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-10-19</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001024520</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WORLD HEART CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WHRT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001391289</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VENROCK ASSOCIATES V LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENROCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3340 HILLVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALO ALTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001444116</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Venrock Management V, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENROCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3340 HILLVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALO ALTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001395760</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VENROCK PARTNERS V L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENROCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3340 HILLVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALO ALTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001444117</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Venrock Partners Management V, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENROCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3340 HILLVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALO ALTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001444114</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Venrock Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENROCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3340 HILLVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALO ALTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001444112</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VEF Management V, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENROCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3340 HILLVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALO ALTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2107728</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.135</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6162744</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Fund</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Warrant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.31</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2107728</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.135</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-10-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-10-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2107728</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2107728</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Fund</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents an aggregate of (a) 1,901,803 shares of common stock purchased by Venrock Associates V, L.P., (b) 44,684 shares of common stock purchased by Venrock Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P. and (c) 161,241 shares of common stock purchased by Venrock Partners V, L.P. pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of October 13, 2010, by and among World Heart Corporation and the investors named therein (the &quot;Purchase Agreement&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the per unit purchase price under the Purchase Agreement of a share of common stock and a five-year warrant to purchase one share of common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents an aggregate of (a) 5,560,644 shares of common stock held by Venrock Associates V, L.P., (b) 130,650 shares of common stock held by Venrock Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P. and (c) 471,450 shares of common stock held by Venrock Partners V, L.P.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Filed by Venrock Associates V, L.P., Venrock Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P. and Venrock Partners V, L.P. (collectively, the &quot;Venrock Entities&quot;) and the general partner of each Venrock Entity, respectively, Venrock Management V, LLC, VEF Management V, LLC and Venrock Partners Management V, LLC (collectively, the &quot;Venrock GPs&quot;).  As the general partners of the respective Venrock Entities, the Venrock GPs may be deemed to own beneficially all of the shares of common stock and warrants owned by the Venrock Entities.  Each Venrock GP disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities owned by the Venrock Entities except to the extent of their indirect pro-rata pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Represents an aggregate of five-year warrants purchased pursuant to the Purchase Agreement by (a) Venrock Associates V, L.P., exercisable to purchase up to 1,901,803 shares of common stock, (b) Venrock Entrepreneurs Fund V, L.P., exercisable to purchase up to 44,684 shares of common stock, and (c) Venrock Partners V, L.P., exercisable to purchase up to 161,241 shares of common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David L. Stepp, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David L. Stepp, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David L. Stepp, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David L. Stepp, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David L. Stepp, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David L. Stepp, Authorized Signatory</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
