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Aspirin is recommended in virtually all situations. Risk factors: a fib, LV dysfunction, previous thromboembolism, & hypercoagulable condition. INR should be maintained between 2.5 and 3.5 for aortic disc valves and Starr-Edwards valves. 9.3. Follow-Up Visits (Patients with prosthetic heart valves) 1. History, physical examination, and appropriate tests should be performed at the first postoperative outpatient evaluation, 2 to 4 weeks after hospital discharge. This should include a transthoracic Doppler echocardiogram if a baseline echocardiogram was not obtained before hospital discharge. (LOE: C) 2. Routine follow-up visits should be conducted annually, with earlier re-evaluations (with echocardiography) if there is a change in clinical status. (LOE: C) Patients with bioprosthetic valves may be considered for annual echocardiograms after the first 5 years in the absence of a change in clinical status. (LOE: C) CLASS III (avoid) Routine annual echocardiograms are not indicated in the absence of a change in clinical status in patients with mechanical heart valves or during the first 5 years after valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve. (LOE: C) 9.2.5. Bridging Therapy in Patients With Mechanical Valves Who Require Interruption of Warfarin Therapy for Noncardiac Surgery, Invasive Procedures, or Dental Care 1. In patients at low risk of thrombosis, (bileaflet mechanical AVR with no risk factors*) it is recommended that warfarin be stopped 48-72h before the procedure (so the INR falls to < 1.5) and restarted within 24h after the procedure. Heparin is usually unnecessary. (LOE: B) 2. In patients at high risk of thrombosis, (mechanical MV or mechanical AVR with any risk factor*), therapeutic IV UFH should be started when the INR is < 2.0 (typically 48h before surgery), stopped 4-6h before the procedure, restarted as early after surgery as bleeding stability allows, and continued until INR is therapeutic with warfarin therapy. (LOE: B) It is reasonable to give fresh frozen plasma to patients with mechanical valves who require interruption of warfarin therapy for emergency noncardiac surgery, invasive procedures, or dental care. FFP is preferable to high-dose vitamin K1. (LOE: B) In patients at high risk of thrombosis, therapeutic doses of subq UFH (15,000U Q12h) or LMWH (100U/kg Q12h) may be considered while INR is subtherapeutic. (LOE: B) CLASS III (avoid) In patients with mechanical valves who require interruption of warfarin therapy for noncardiac surgery, invasive procedures, or dental care, high-dose vitamin K1 should not be given routinely, because this may create a hypercoagulable condition. (LOE: B) *Risk factors: a fib, prior thromboembolism, LV dysfunction, hypercoagulable conditions, old-generation thrombogenic valves, mechanical tricuspid valves, or > 1 mechanical valve. *Concerns about the use of LMWH for mechanical valves persist, and package inserts continue to list a warning for this use of these medications. 4
5.8.4. Anticoagulation Regimen in Pregnant Patients With Mechanical Valves 1. Pts must receive continuous therapeutic anticoagulation & frequent monitoring. (LOE: B) 2. Pts who elect to stop warfarin between weeks 6 and 12 of gestation should receive continuous IV UFH, dose-adjusted UFH, or dose-adjusted SQ LMWH. (LOE: C) 3. Up to 36 wks of gestation, choice of continuous IV or dose-adjusted SQ UFH or LMWH, or warfarin should be discussed. With IV UFH, fetal risk is lower, but maternal risk of valve thrombosis, embolization, infection, osteoporosis, & HIT are higher. (LOE: C) 4. Pts who receive dose-adjusted LMWH, LMWH should be given twice daily SQ to maintain anti-xa level between 0.7 and 1.2 U per ml 4 h after administration. (LOE:C) 5. In pts who receive UFH, aptt should be at least 2x control. (LOE: C) 6. In pts who receive warfarin, INR should be 3.0 (2.5 to 3.5). (LOE: C) 7. Warfarin must be stopped; continuous IV UFH started 2-3 wks before delivery. (LOE: C) 1. Avoid warfarin wks 6 to 12 of gestation ti owing to the high h risk of fetal defects. (LOE: C) 2. Resume UFH 4-6 h after delivery & warfarin in the absence of sig. bleeding. (LOE: C) 3. Give low-dose aspirin (75 to 100 mg per day) in the second and third trimesters in addition to anticoagulation with warfarin or heparin. (LOE: C) CLASS III (avoid) 1. LMWH must not be given unless anti-xa is monitored 4-6 h afterwards. (LOE: C) 2. Dipyridamole should not be used instead of aspirin as an alternative antiplatelet agent because of its harmful effects on the fetus. (LOE: B) 9.2.3. Embolic Events During Adequate Antithrombotic Therapy Patients who have definite embolic episodes while undergoing adequate antithrombotic therapy, the dosage of antithrombotic therapy should be increased, when safe, as follows: Warfarin, INR 2.0-3.0: warfarin dose increased to achieve INR of 2.5-3.5 Warfarin, INR 2.5-3.5: warfarin dose may need to be increased to achieve INR of 3.5-4.5 Not taking aspirin: aspirin 75-100 mg per day should be initiated Warfarin plus aspirin 75-100 mg per day: aspirin dose may also need to be increased to 325 mg per day if the higher dose of warfarin is not achieving the desired clinical result Aspirin alone: aspirin dose may need to be increased to 325 mg per day, clopidogrel 75 mg per day per day added, and/or warfarin added. 9.2.4. Excessive Anticoagulation In most patients excessive anticoagulation can be managed by withholding warfarin and monitoring the level of anticoagulation with serial INR determinations. INR > 5 greatly increases the risk of hemorrhage. However, rapid decreases in INR that lead to INR falling below therapeutic level increase the risk of thromboembolism. With INR of 5-10 (without bleeding), withhold warfarin and administer 1-2.5 mg of oral vitamin K1 (phytonadione). The INR should be determined after 24 h and subsequently as needed. Warfarin therapy is restarted and adjusted dose appropriately to ensure that the INR is in the therapeutic range. In emergency situations, FFP is preferable to high-dose vitamin K1, especially parenteral vitamin K1, because use of the latter increases the risk of overcorrection to a hypercoagulable state. Low-dose IV vitamin K (1 mg) appears safe in this situation. 9.2.7. Thrombosis of Prosthetic Heart Valves With suspected prosthetic valve thrombosis: TTE & Doppler to assess hemodynamic severity, TEE and/or fluoroscopy to assess valve motion and clot burden. (LOE: B) 1. Emergency operation for thrombosed left-sided valve and either NYHA III IV symptoms or a large clot burden. (LOE: C) 2. Fibrinolysis for thrombosed right-sided valve, NYHA III IV symptoms or large clot burden. (LOE: C) 1. Fibrinolysis for thrombosed left-sided valve, NYHA I II symptoms & small clot burden; or NYHA III IV symptoms & small clot burden if surgery is high risk or not available. (LOE: B) 2. Fibrinolysis for obstructed, thrombosed left-sided valve, NYHA II IV symptoms and large clot burden if emergency surgery is high risk or not available. (LOE: C) 4. IV UFH instead of fibrinolysis for thrombosed valve, NYHA I II symptoms & small clot burden. (LOE: C) 5
8. INTRAOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT 1. Intraoperative TEE is recommended for valve repair surgery. (LOE: B) 2. Intraoperative TEE is recommended for valve replacement surgery with a stentless xenograft, homograft, or autograft valve. (LOE: B) 3. Intraoperative TEE is recommended for valve surgery for infective endocarditis. (LOE: B) Intraoperative TEE is reasonable for all patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery. (LOE: C) Table 31. Valvular Heart Lesions Associated With High Maternal and/or Fetal Risk During Pregnancy 1. Severe AS with or without symptoms 2. AR or MR with NYHA III-IV symptoms 3. MS with NYHA II-IV symptoms 5. Aortic and/or mitral disease with severe pulm. hypertension (PAP > 75% systemic) 6. Aortic and/or mitral disease with EF < 0.40 7. Mechanical prosthesis requiring anticoagulation 8. Marfan syndrome with or without AR Major Criteria for Valve Selection Table 32. Valvular Heart Lesions Associated With Low Maternal and Fetal Risk During Pregnancy 1. Asymptomatic AS with mean gradient < 25 mmhg & AVA > 1.5 cm2) w/ LVEF > 0.50 2. NYHA I or II AR or MR with normal LVEF 3. MVP with no MR or with mild to moderate MR with normal LVEF 4. Mild MS (MVA > 1.5 cm2, gradient < 5 mmhg) without severe pulmonary hypertension 5. Mild to mod pulmonary valve stenosis 1. A mechanical prosthesis is recommended for AVR in patients with a mechanical valve in the mitral or tricuspid position. (LOE: C) 2. A bioprosthesis is recommended for in patients of any age who will not take warfarin or who have major medical contraindications to warfarin therapy. (LOE: C) 1. Patient preference is a reasonable consideration in the selection of prosthesis (LOE: C): a. A mechanical prosthesis is reasonable in patients < 65 yrs who do not have a contraindication to anticoagulation, especially if they have embolic risk factors. b. A bioprosthesis is reasonable in pts < 65 yrs who elect to receive this valve for lifestyle considerations after detailed discussions of the risks of anticoagulation versus the likelihood that a second valve replacement may be necessary in the future. c. A bioprosthesis is reasonable in pts 65 yrs without risk factors for thromboembolism. 2. Aortic valve re-replacement with a homograft is reasonable for patients with active prosthetic valve endocarditis. (LOE: C) A bioprosthesis might be considered in a woman of childbearing age. (LOE: C) 3.3. Bicuspid Aortic Valve With Dilated Ascending Aorta 1. Pts with known bicuspid aortic valves should undergo an initial transthoracic echo (TTE) to assess the diameters of the aortic root and ascending aorta. (LOE: B) 2. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) or cardiac computed tomography (CCT) is indicated in pts with bicuspid aortic valves when morphology of the aortic root or ascending aorta cannot be assessed accurately by TTE. (LOE: C) 3. Pts with bicuspid aortic valves and dilatation of the aortic root or ascending aorta (diameter > 4.0 cm*) should undergo serial evaluation of aortic root/ascending aorta size and morphology by TTE, CMR or CCT on a yearly basis. (LOE: C) 4. Surgery to repair the aortic root or replace the ascending aorta is indicated in pts with bicuspid aortic valves if the diameter of the aortic root or ascending aorta is > 5.0 cm* or if the rate of increase in diameter is 0.5 cm per year. (LOE: C) 5. In pts with bicuspid valves undergoing AVR because of severe AS or AR, repair of the aortic root or replacement of the ascending aorta is indicated if the diameter of the aortic root or ascending aorta is greater than 4.5 cm*. (LOE: C). 1. It is reasonable to give beta-adrenergicadrenergic blocking agents to pts with bicuspid valves and dilated aortic roots (diameter > 4.0 cm*) who are not candidates for surgical correction and who do not have moderate to severe AR. (LOE: C) 2. CMR or CCT is reasonable in pts with bicuspid aortic valves when aortic root dilatation is detected by TTE to further quantify severity of dilatation and involvement of the ascending aorta. (LOE: B) *Consider lower threshold values for patients of small stature of either gender 6