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2021 ESCEACTS Guidelines For The Management of Valvular Heart Disease 1
2021 ESCEACTS Guidelines For The Management of Valvular Heart Disease 1
2021 ESCEACTS Guidelines For The Management of Valvular Heart Disease 1
Document Reviewers: Franz-Josef Neumann (ESC Review Coordinator) (Germany), Patrick Myers1
(EACTS Review Coordinator) (Switzerland), Magdy Abdelhamid (Egypt), Stephan Achenbach (Germany),
Riccardo Asteggiano (Italy), Fabio Barili1 (Italy), Michael A. Borger (Germany), Thierry Carrel1
(Switzerland), Jean-Philippe Collet (France), Dan Foldager (Denmark), Gilbert Habib (France),
Christian Hassager (Denmark), Alar Irs1 (Estonia), Bernard Iung (France), Marjan Jahangiri1 (United
Kingdom), Hugo A. Katus (Germany), Konstantinos C. Koskinas (Switzerland), Steffen Massberg
(Germany), Christian E. Mueller (Switzerland), Jens Cosedis Nielsen (Denmark), Philippe Pibarot (Canada),
Amina Rakisheva (Kazakhstan), Marco Roffi (Switzerland), Andrea Rubboli (Italy), Evgeny Shlyakhto
(Russia), Matthias Siepe1 (Germany), Marta Sitges (Spain), Lars Sondergaard (Denmark),
All experts involved in the development of these guidelines have submitted declarations of interest.
These have been compiled in a report and published in a supplementary document simultaneously to the
guidelines. The report is also available on the ESC website www.escardio.org/guidelines.
For the Supplementary Data which include background information and detailed discussion of the data
that have provided the basis for the guidelines see European Heart Journal online.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
Keywords Guidelines • valvular heart disease • valve disease • valve surgery • percutaneous valve intervention •
aortic regurgitation • aortic stenosis • mitral regurgitation • mitral stenosis • tricuspid regurgitation •
tricuspid stenosis • prosthetic heart valves
..
Table of Contents ..
..
4 Aortic regurgitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.1 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
.. 4.1.1 Echocardiography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1 Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
..
.. 4.1.2 Computed tomography and cardiac magnetic
2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 .. resonance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.1 Why do we need new guidelines on valvular heart disease? . . . . . 6
..
.. 4.2 Indications for intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.2 Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ..
2.3 Content of these guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
.. 4.3 Medical therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
.. 4.4 Serial testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.4 New format of the guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ..
2.5 How to use these guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
.. 4.5 Special patient populations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
.. 5 Aortic stenosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3 General comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ..
.. 5.1 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.1 Concepts of Heart Team and Heart Valve Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 .. 5.1.1 Echocardiography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.2 Patient evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ..
.. 5.1.2 Additional diagnostic and prognostic parameters . . . . . . . . . 21
3.2.1 Clinical evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 .. 5.1.3 TAVI diagnostic workup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.2.2 Echocardiography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ..
.. 5.2 Indications for intervention (SAVR or TAVI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.2.3 Other non-invasive investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 .. 5.2.1 Symptomatic aortic stenosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.2.4 Invasive investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ..
.. 5.2.2 Asymptomatic aortic stenosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.2.5 Assessment of comorbidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 .. 5.2.3 The mode of intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.3 Risk stratification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ..
.. 5.3 Medical therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.3.1 Risk scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 .. 5.4 Serial testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.3.2 Other factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ..
.. 5.5 Special patient populations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.4 Patient-related aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 .. 6 Mitral regurgitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.5 Local resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ..
.. 6.1 Primary mitral regurgitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.6 Management of associated conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 .. 6.1.1 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.6.1 Coronary artery disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ..
.. 6.1.2 Indications for intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.6.2 Atrial fibrillation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 .. 6.1.3 Medical therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.7 Endocarditis prophylaxis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
..
.. 6.1.4 Serial testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.8 Prophylaxis for rheumatic fever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 ..
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 3
Recommendations on indications for mitral valve intervention in ... LA Left atrium/left atrial
chronic severe secondary mitral regurgitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 .. LAA Left atrial appendage
..
Recommendations on indications for percutaneous mitral .. LMWH Low-molecular-weight heparin
commissurotomy and mitral valve surgery in clinically significant .. LV Left ventricle/left ventricular
..
(moderate or severe) mitral stenosis (valve area <_1.5 cm2) . . . . . . . . . . 34 .. LVAD Left ventricular assist devices
Recommendations on indications for intervention in tricuspid .. LVEDD Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter
..
valve disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 .. LVEF Left ventricular ejection fraction
Recommendations for prosthetic valve selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 ..
.. LVESD Left ventricular end-systolic diameter
..
responsible health professional(s) in consultation with the patient .. real or potential sources of conflicts of interest. Their declarations of
and caregiver as appropriate. .. interest were reviewed according to the ESC declaration of interest
..
A great number of guidelines have been issued in recent years by .. rules and can be found on the ESC website (http://www.escardio.org/
the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and its partners such as .. guidelines) and have been compiled in a report and published in a
..
the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), as .. supplementary document simultaneously to the guidelines.
well as by other societies and organizations. Because of their impact
.. This process ensures transparency and prevents potential biases in
..
on clinical practice, quality criteria for the development of guidelines .. the development and review processes. Any changes in declarations of
have been established in order to make all decisions transparent to
.. interest that arise during the writing period were notified to the ESC and
..
Wording to use
Classes of recommendations
Class II
©ESC/EACTS 2021
Level of Consensus of opinion of the experts and/or small studies,
evidence C retrospective studies, registries.
..
Health professionals are encouraged to take the ESC/EACTS .. long term. The recommendation for non- vitamin K antagonist
Guidelines fully into account when exercising their clinical judgment, .. oral anticoagulants (NOACs) was reinforced in patients with
..
as well as in the determination and the implementation of preventive, .. native valvular disease, except for significant mitral stenosis, and
diagnostic or therapeutic medical strategies. However, the ESC/ .. in those with bioprostheses.
..
EACTS Guidelines do not override in any way whatsoever the indi- .. • Risk stratification for the timing of intervention. This applies mostly
vidual responsibility of health professionals to make appropriate and .. to (i) the evaluation of progression in asymptomatic patients based
..
accurate decisions in consideration of each patient’s health condition .. on recent longitudinal studies mostly in aortic stenosis, and (ii)
and in consultation with that patient or the patient’s caregiver where .. interventions in high-risk patients in whom futility should be
..
appropriate and/or necessary. It is also the healthcare professional’s .. avoided. Regarding this last aspect, the role of frailty is outlined.
responsibility to verify the rules and regulations applicable in each
.. • Results and indication of intervention:
..
country to drugs and devices at the time of prescription. ..
.. 䊊 The choice of the mode of intervention: current evidence
.. reinforces the critical role of the Heart Team, which
..
.. should integrate clinical, anatomical, and procedural
2 Introduction ..
.. characteristics beyond conventional scores, and
.. informed patient’s treatment choice.
2.1 Why do we need new guidelines on .. 䊊 Surgery: increasing experience and procedural safety
valvular heart disease? ..
.. led to expansion of indications toward earlier inter-
Since the publication of the previous version of the guidelines on the .. vention in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis,
..
management of valvular heart disease (VHD) in 2017, new evidence .. aortic regurgitation or mitral regurgitation and stress
has accumulated, particularly on the following topics: .. the preference for valve repair when it is expected
..
.. to be durable. A particular emphasis is put on the
• Epidemiology: the incidence of the degenerative aetiology has ..
increased in industrialized countries while, unfortunately, rheu- .. need for more comprehensive evaluation and earlier
matic heart disease is still too frequently observed in many parts
.. surgery in tricuspid regurgitation.
.. Transcatheter techniques: (i) Concerning transcath-
of the world.13 .. 䊊
Table 3 Continued
New or Revised Recommendations in 2017 version Class Recommendations in 2021 version Class
Revised SAVR should be considered in asymptomatic Intervention should be considered in asympto-
patients with normal ejection fraction and none of matic patients with LVEF >55% and a normal exer-
the above-mentioned exercise test abnormalities if cise test if the procedural risk is low and one of
the surgical risk is low and one of the following the following parameters is present:
findings is present: • Very severe aortic stenosis (mean gradient
• Very severe aortic stenosis defined by a Vmax _60 mmHg or Vmax >
> _5 m/s).
Table 3 Continued
New or Revised Recommendations in 2017 version Class Recommendations in 2021 version Class
Revised Surgery should be considered in asymptomatic Surgery should be considered in asymptomatic
patients with preserved LV function (LVESD patients with preserved LV function (LVESD
<45 mm and LVEF >60%) and AF secondary to IIa <40 mm and LVEF >60%) and AF secondary to IIa
mitral regurgitation or pulmonary hypertension mitral regurgitation or pulmonary hypertension
(SPAP at rest >50 mmHg). (SPAP at rest >50 mmHg).
Revised Surgery should be considered in asymptomatic Surgical mitral valve repair should be considered in
Table 3 Continued
New or Revised Recommendations in 2017 version Class Recommendations in 2021 version Class
Section 8: Indications for intervention in secondary tricuspid regurgitation
Revised After previous left-sided surgery and in absence of Surgery should be considered in patients with
recurrent left-sided valve dysfunction, surgery severe secondary tricuspid regurgitation (with or
should be considered in patients with severe tri- without previous left-sided surgery) who are
cuspid regurgitation who are symptomatic or have IIa symptomatic or have RV dilatation, in the absence IIa
progressive RV dilatation/dysfunction, in the of severe RV or LV dysfunction and severe pulmo-
Table 3 Continued
New or Revised Recommendations in 2017 version Class Recommendations in 2021 version Class
New In patients treated with DAPT after recent PCI
(within 1 month) who need to undergo heart valve
surgery, in the absence of an indication for OAC, it
I
is recommended to resume the P2Y12 inhibitor
postoperatively, as soon as there is no concern
over bleeding.
Table 3 Continued
New or Revised Recommendations in 2017 version Class Recommendations in 2021 version Class
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
New OAC is recommended lifelong for TAVI patients
I
who have other indications for OAC.
Revised SAPT may be considered after TAVI in the case of Lifelong SAPT is recommended after TAVI in
IIb I
high bleeding risk. patients with no baseline indication for OAC.
New Routine use of OAC is not recommended after
ESC/EACTS 2021
Bioprosthetic failure
New Transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in the
mitral and tricuspid position may be considered in
IIb
selected patients at high-risk for surgical re-
intervention.
ACS = acute coronary syndrome; AF = atrial fibrillation; ARC-HBR = Academic Research Consortium - high bleeding risk; BHV = biological heart valve; BNP = B-type natriuretic
peptide; BSA = body surface area; CABG = Coronary artery bypass grafting; CCT = cardiac computed tomography; CRT = cardiac resynchronization therapy; DAPT = dual anti-
platelet therapy; EuroSCORE = European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation; GDMT = guideline-directed medical therapy; INR = international normalized ratio;
LA = left atrium/left atrial; LAA = left atrial appendage; LMWH = low-molecular-weight heparin; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; LVEDD = left ventricular end-diastolic diame-
ter; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; LVESD = Left ventricular end-systolic diameter; MHV = mechanical heart valve; NOAC = non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagu-
lant; OAC = oral anticoagulation; PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention; RV = right ventricle/right ventricular; SAPT = single antiplatelet therapy; SAVR = surgical aortic
valve replacement; SMR = secondary mitral regurgitation; SPAP = systolic pulmonary arterial pressure; STS-PROM = Society of Thoracic Surgeons - predicted risk of mortality;
TAVI = transcatheter aortic valve implantation; TEER = transcatheter edge-to-edge repair; UFH = unfractionated heparin; VHD = valvular heart disease; VKA = vitamin K antago-
nist; Vmax = peak transvalvular velocity.
ESC/EACTS 2021
necessary (e.g. heart failure specialists or electrophysiologists). .. and/or local/external audit.
Dedicated nursing personnel with expertise in the care of patients .. Education programmes targeting patient primary care, operator,
with VHD are also an important asset to the Heart Team. The ..
.. diagnostic and interventional imager training and referring
Heart Team approach is particularly advisable for the manage- .. cardiologist.
ment of high-risk and asymptomatic patients, as well as in case of ..
.. CCT = cardiac computed tomography; CMR = cardiac magnetic resonance.
uncertainty or lack of strong evidence. ..
Heart Valve Clinics are an important component of the Heart
..
..
Valve Centres, aiming to provide standardized organization of care ..
based on guidelines. Access to Heart Valve Clinics improves
.. Since performance does not exclusively relate to intervention vol-
..
outcomes.9 .. ume, internal quality assessment consisting of systematic recording of
Physicians experienced in the management of VHD and dedicated
..
.. procedural data and patient outcomes at the level of a given Heart
nurses organize outpatient visits, and referral to the Heart Team, if .. Valve Centre is essential, as well as participation in national or ESC/
needed. Earlier referral should be encouraged if patient’s symptoms
..
.. EACTS registries.
develop or worsen before the next planned visit.10,11 .. A Heart Valve Centre should have structured and possibly com-
..
Beside the whole spectrum of valvular interventions, expertise .. bined training programmes for interventionalists, cardiac surgeons,
in interventional and surgical management of coronary artery dis- .. and imaging specialists13,19,20 (https://ebcts.org/syllabus/). New tech-
..
ease (CAD), vascular diseases, and complications must be .. niques should be taught by competent mentors to minimize the
available. .. effects of the learning curve.
..
Techniques with a steep learning curve may be performed with .. Finally, Heart Valve Centres should contribute to optimizing the
better results at hospitals with high procedural volume and experi- .. management of patients with VHD, provide corresponding services
..
ence. The relationship between case volume and outcomes for sur- .. at the community level, and promote networks that include other
gery and transcatheter interventions is complex but should not be .. medical departments, referring cardiologists and primary care
..
denied.1214 However, the precise numbers of procedures per indi- .. physicians.
vidual operator or hospital required to provide high-quality care ..
..
remain controversial as inequalities exist between high- and middle- ..
income countries.15 High-volume TAVI programmes are associated ..
..
with lower mortality at 30 days, particularly at hospitals with a high .. 3.2 Patient evaluation
surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) volume.16,17 The data avail-
.. The aims of the evaluation of patients with VHD are to diagnose,
..
able on transcatheter mitral valve repair14,18 and, even more so, .. quantify, and assess the mechanism of VHD, as well as its
transcatheter tricuspid procedures are more limited.
.. consequences.
14 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
Symptoms
Clinical and Clinical evaluation, biomarkers, stress testing
related to VHD
imaging in asymptomatic patients
assessment
Aetiology, lesion
and mechanisms Echocardiography (TTE and TOE), CCT
of VHD
Treatment
options Individual anatomical and procedural factors
Figure 1 Central illustration: Patient-centred evaluation for intervention. VHD = valvular heart disease; CCT = cardiac computed tomography;
CMR = cardiac magnetic resonance; TOE = transoesophageal echocardiography; TTE = transthoracic echocardiography.
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 15
..
summarized in the specific sections of these guidelines. .. tomography (PET)/CCT is useful in patients with a suspicion of
Echocardiography is also key to evaluating the feasibility of a specific .. endocarditis of a prosthetic valve.39,40
..
intervention. ..
Indices of left ventricular (LV) enlargement and function are strong .. 3.2.3.4 Cinefluoroscopy
..
prognostic factors. Recent studies suggest that global longitudinal .. Cinefluoroscopy is particularly useful for assessing the kinetics of the
strain has greater prognostic value than LV ejection fraction (LVEF), .. leaflet occluders of a mechanical prosthesis.
..
although cut-off values are not uniform.26,27 Transoesophageal ..
echocardiography (TOE) should be considered when transthoracic .. 3.2.3.5 Biomarkers
..
..
3.3.1 Risk scores .. goes beyond survival and includes functional recovery. The futility of
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) predicted risk of mortality .. interventions has to be taken into consideration, particularly for
..
(PROM) score (http://riskcalc.sts.org/stswebriskcalc/calculate) and .. transcatheter interventions.63
the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II .. The high prevalence of comorbidity in the elderly makes assess-
..
(EuroSCORE II; http://www.euroscore.org/calc.html) accurately dis- .. ment of the risk/benefit ratios of interventions more difficult, there-
criminate high- and low-risk surgical patients and show good calibra- .. fore the role of the Heart Team is essential in this specific population
..
tion to predict postoperative outcome after valvular surgery in the .. of patients (Supplementary Table 5).
majority of the patients,49,50 while risk estimation may be less accu-
..
..
ESC/EACTS 2021
.. LAA occlusion should be considered to reduce
.. the thromboembolic risk in patients, with
.. IIa B
3.6.2 Atrial fibrillation .. AF and a CHA2DS2VASc score >_2 undergoing
.. valve surgery.82
Detailed recommendations on the management of patients with ..
atrial fibrillation (AF) including management of anticoagulation are ..
.. AF = atrial fibrillation; LA = left atrium/left atrial; LAA = left atrial appendage;
provided in specific guidelines.74 NOACs are recommended in .. NOAC = non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant; OAC = oral anticoagula-
patients with aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation or mitral regurgita- .. tion; VKA = vitamin K antagonist.
a .. Class of recommendation.
tion presenting with AF7578 as subgroup analyses of randomized b .. Level of evidence.
controlled trials (RCTs) support the use of apixaban, dabigatran, ..
..
edoxaban, and rivaroxaban. The use of NOACs is not recommended ..
in patients who have AF associated with clinically significant mitral ..
..
stenosis or those with mechanical prostheses. .. 3.7 Endocarditis prophylaxis
Surgical ablation of AF combined with mitral valve surgery effec-
.. Antibiotic prophylaxis should be considered for high-risk procedures
..
tively reduces the incidence of AF but has no impact on adjusted .. in patients with prosthetic valves, including transcatheter valves, or
short-term survival. An increased rate of pacemaker implantation has
.. with repairs using prosthetic material, and in patients with previous
..
been observed after surgical ablation (9.5%, vs. 7.6% in the group .. episode(s) of infective endocarditis.4 Particular attention to dental
with AF and no surgical ablation).79 Concomitant AF ablation should
.. and cutaneous hygiene and strict aseptic measures during any invasive
..
be considered in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, balancing the .. procedure are advised in this population. Antibiotic prophylaxis
benefits of freedom from atrial arrhythmias with the risk factors for
.. should be considered in dental procedures involving manipulation of
..
recurrence, such as age, LA dilatation, years in AF, renal dysfunction, .. the gingival or periapical region of the teeth or manipulation of the
.. oral mucosa.4
and other cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, left atrial appendage .
18 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
3.8 Prophylaxis for rheumatic fever .. Table 5 Echocardiographic criteria for the definition of
..
Prevention of rheumatic heart disease should preferably target the first .. severe aortic valve regurgitation
attack of acute rheumatic fever. Antibiotic treatment of group A Strep- ..
.. Qualitative
tococcus infection throat is key in primary prevention. Echocardio- ..
graphic screening in combination with secondary antibiotic prophylaxis .. Valve morphology Abnormal/flail/large coaptation
.. defect
in children with evidence of latent rheumatic heart disease is currently ..
investigated to reduce its prevalence in endemic regions.91 In patients .. Colour flow regurgitant jet areaa Large in central jets, variable in
..
with established rheumatic heart disease, secondary long-term prophy- .. eccentric jets
ESC/EACTS 2021
.. EROA (mm2) >
_30
Aortic regurgitation can be caused by primary disease of the aortic .. Regurgitant volume (mL/beat) >
_60
valve cusps and/or abnormalities of the aortic root and ascending aortic ..
.. Enlargement of cardiac LV dilatation
geometry. Degenerative tricuspid and bicuspid aortic regurgitation are ..
the most common aetiologies in high-income countries, accounting for .. chambers
.. CW = continuous wave; EDV = end-diastolic velocity; EROA = effective regurgi-
approximately two-thirds of the underlying aetiology of aortic regurgi- .. tant orifice area; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular.
tation in the EURObservational Registry Programme Valvular Heart ..
a
.. At a Nyquist limit of 5060 cm/s.
Disease II registry.1 Other causes include infective and rheumatic endo- b
.. Pressure half-time is shortened with increasing LV diastolic pressure, vasodilator
carditis. Acute severe aortic regurgitation is mostly caused by infective .. therapy, and in patients with a dilated compliant aorta, or lengthened in chronic
.. aortic regurgitation.
endocarditis, and less frequently by aortic dissection. .. Adapted from Lancellotti P et al. Recommendations for the echocardiographic
.. assessment of native valvular regurgitation: an executive summary from the
.. European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging
..
4.1 Evaluation .. 2013;14:611644. Copyright (2013) by permission of Oxford University Press
4.1.1 Echocardiography .. on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.
..
Echocardiography is the key examination used to describe valve anat- ..
omy, quantify aortic regurgitation, evaluate its mechanisms, define
..
.. considered. Intraoperative evaluation of the surgical result by TOE is
the morphology of the aorta, and determine the feasibility of valve- ..
sparing aortic surgery or valve repair.96,97 Identification of the mecha-
.. mandatory in patients undergoing aortic valve preservation or repair.
..
nism follows the same principle such as for mitral regurgitation: ..
normal cusps but insufficient coaptation due to dilatation of the aortic
..
.. 4.1.2 Computed tomography and cardiac magnetic
root with central jet (type 1), cusp prolapse with eccentric jet (type .. resonance
2), or retraction with poor cusp tissue quality and large central or
..
.. CMR should be used to quantify the regurgitant fraction when echo-
eccentric jet (type 3).96 Quantification of aortic regurgitation follows .. cardiographic measurements are equivocal or discordant with clinical
an integrated approach considering qualitative, semi-quantitative, and
..
.. findings. In patients with aortic dilatation, CCT is recommended to
quantitative parameters24,98 (Table 5). New parameters obtained by .. assess the maximum diameter at four levels, as in echocardiography.
..
3D echocardiography and two-dimensional (2D) strain imaging as LV .. CMR can be used for follow-up, but indication for surgery should
global longitudinal strain may be useful, particularly in patients with .. preferably be based on CCT measurements. Different methods of
..
borderline LVEF where they may help in the decision for surgery.99 .. aortic measurements have been reported. To improve reproducibil-
Measurement of the aortic root and ascending aorta in 2D is .. ity, it is recommended to measure diameters using the inner-inner-
..
performed at four levels: annulus, sinuses of Valsalva, sinotubular
... edge technique at end diastole on the strictly transverse plane by
junction, and tubular ascending aorta.100,101 Measurements are per- .. double oblique reconstruction perpendicular to the axis of blood
formed in the parasternal long-axis view from leading edge to leading .. flow of the corresponding segment. Maximum root diameter should
..
edge at end diastole, except for the aortic annulus, which is measured .. be taken from sinus-to-sinus diameter rather than sinus-to-
in mid systole. As it will have surgical consequences, it is important to .. commissure diameter, as it correlates more closely to long-axis lead-
..
differentiate three phenotypes of the ascending aorta: aortic root .. ing-edge-to-leading-edge echo maximum diameters.103,104
aneurysms (sinuses of Valsalva >45 mm), tubular ascending aneurysm ..
..
(sinuses of Valsalva <4045 mm), and isolated aortic regurgitation ..
(all aortic diameters <40 mm). The calculation of indexed values to .. 4.2 Indications for intervention
..
account for body size has been suggested,102 in particular in patients .. Acute aortic regurgitation may require urgent surgery. It is mainly
with small stature. Anatomy of the aortic valve cusps and its suitability
.. caused by infective endocarditis and aortic dissection but may also
..
for valve repair should be provided by preoperative TOE if aortic .. occur after blunt chest trauma and iatrogenic complications during
valve repair or a valve-sparing surgery of the aortic root is
.. catheter-based cardiac interventions. Specific guidelines deal with
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 19
..
these entities.4,101 The recommendations on indications for surgery .. 40 mm or more) in women with low BSA, patients with a TGFBR2
in severe aortic regurgitation and aortic root disease may be related .. mutation, or patients with severe extra-aortic features that appear to
..
to symptoms, status of the LV, or dilatation of the aorta [see table of .. be at particularly high risk.130 For patients who have an indication for
recommendations on indications for surgery in severe aortic regurgi- .. aortic valve surgery, an aortic diameter > _45 mm is considered to indi-
..
tation and aortic root or tubular ascending aortic aneurysm (irre- .. cate concomitant surgery of the aortic root or tubular ascending
spective of the severity of aortic regurgitation), and Figure 2]. .. aorta. The patient’s stature, the aetiology of the valvular disease
..
In symptomatic patients, surgery is recommended irrespective of .. (bicuspid valve), and the intraoperative shape and wall thickness of
the LVEF as long as aortic regurgitation is severe and the operative
.. the ascending aorta should be considered for individual decisions.
..
..
Ascending aortic surgery should be considered
.. 4.3 Medical therapy
in patients who have aortic root disease with .. Medical therapy, especially angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
maximal ascending aortic diameter:
..
.. (ACEI) or dihydropiridines, may provide symptomatic improvement
•>_55 mm in all patients. .. in individuals with chronic severe aortic regurgitation in whom sur-
• >
_45 mm in the presence of Marfan syndrome
..
IIa C .. gery is not feasible. The value of ACEI or dihydropiridine in delaying
and additional risk factorsd or patients with a .. surgery in the presence of moderate or severe aortic regurgitation in
TGFBR1 or TGFBR2 mutation (including
..
.. asymptomatic patients has not been established and their use is not
LoeysDietz syndrome).e .. recommended for this indication.
ESC/EACTS 2021
When surgery is primarily indicated for the .. and beta-blockers are useful.141,142
aortic valve, replacement of the aortic root or .. In patients with Marfan syndrome, beta-blockers remain the main-
IIa C ..
tubular ascending aorta should be considered .. stay for medical treatment and reducing shear stress and aortic
when >
_45 mm. f .. growth rate and should be considered before and after sur-
..
.. gery.143145 While ARBs did not prove to have a superior effect
BSA = body surface area; CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting; CCT = cardiac .. when compared to beta-blockers, they may be considered as an
computed tomography; CMR = cardiac magnetic resonance; ECG = electrocardio- ..
gram; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; .. alternative in patients intolerant to beta-blockers.146148 By analogy,
LVESD = left ventricular end-systolic diameter. .. while there are no studies that provide supporting evidence, it is
a
Class of recommendation. ..
b
Level of evidence. .. common clinical practice to advise beta-blocker or ARBs in patients
c
For clinical decision making, dimensions of the aorta should be confirmed by
.. with bicuspid aortic valve if the aortic root and/or ascending aorta is
..
ECG-gated CCT. .. dilated. Management of aortic regurgitation during pregnancy is dis-
d
Family history of aortic dissection (or personal history of spontaneous vascular ..
dissection), severe aortic or mitral regurgitation, desire for pregnancy, uncon- .. cussed in section 13.
trolled systemic arterial hypertension and/or aortic size increase >3 mm/year ..
(using serial echocardiography or CMR measurements at the same level of the ..
aorta confirmed by ECG-gated CCT). .. 4.4 Serial testing
e
A lower threshold of 40 mm may be considered in women with low BSA, in
..
patients with a TGFBR2 mutation or in patients with severe extra-aortic features.130
.. All asymptomatic patients with severe aortic regurgitation and nor-
.. mal LV function should be followed up at least every year. In patients
f
Considering age, BSA, aetiology of the valvular disease, presence of a bicuspid ..
aortic valve, and intraoperative shape and thickness of the ascending aorta. .. with either a first diagnosis or with LV diameter and/or ejection frac-
.. tion showing significant changes or approaching thresholds for
Symptoms Y
LVEF ≤ 50% or
N LVESD > 50 mm Y
(or > 25 mm/m2 BSA)
Follow-up Surgeryb
Figure 2 Management of patients with aortic regurgitation. BSA = body surface area; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; LVESD = left ventricle end-sys-
tolic diameter; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction. aSee recommendations on indications for surgery in severe aortic regurgitation and aortic root dis-
ease for definition. bSurgery should also be considered if significant changes in LV or aortic size occur during follow-up.
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 21
..
surgery, follow-up should be continued at 36-month intervals. .. echocardiographic parameters, stress imaging and CCT
Surgery may be considered in asymptomatic patients with significant .. provide important adjunctive information when severity is uncertain
..
LV dilatation (LVEDD >65 mm), and with progressive enlargement in .. (Figure 3).
the size of LV or progressive decrease of LVEF during follow-up. .. Current international recommendations for the echocardio-
..
Patient’s BNP levels could be of potential interest as a predictor of .. graphic evaluation of patients with aortic stenosis25 depend upon
outcomes (particularly symptom onset and deterioration of LV func- .. measurement of mean pressure gradient (the most robust parame-
..
tion) and may be helpful in the follow-up of asymptomatic patients.149 .. ter), peak transvalvular velocity (Vmax), and valve area. Although valve
Patients with mild-to-moderate aortic regurgitation can be seen on a .. area is the theoretically ideal measurement for assessing severity,
..
Assess
velocity/gradient
Y Y N
Check blood pressure and exclude measurement errors High flow status
that may cause underestimation of gradient, flow or AVA reversible
Y N
Define flow statusa
Severe AS unlikely
Reassess under
CCT to assess
Severe AS Pseudo-severe ASd normal Severe AS
AV calcificatione
flow conditions
Figure 3 Integrated imaging assessment of aortic stenosis. AS = aortic stenosis; AV = aortic valve; AVA = aortic valve area; CT = computed tomography;
DPm = mean pressure gradient; DSE = dobutamine stress echocardiography; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction;
SVi = stroke volume index; Vmax = peak transvalvular velocity. aHigh flow may be reversible in patients with anaemia, hyperthyroidism or arterio-venous fis-
tulae, and may also be present in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Upper limit of normal flow using pulsed Doppler echocardiogra-
phy: cardiac index 4.1 L/min/m2 in men and women, SVi 54 mL/m2 in men, 51 mL/m2 in women).155 bConsider also: typical symptoms (with no other
explanation), LV hypertrophy (in the absence of coexistent hypertension) or reduced LV longitudinal function (with no other cause). cDSE flow
reserve = >20% increase in stroke volume in response to low-dose dobutamine. dPseudo-severe aortic stenosis = AVA >1.0 cm2 with increased flow.
e
Thresholds for severe aortic stenosis assessed by means of CT measurement of aortic valve calcification (Agatston units): men >3000, women
>1600 = highly likely; men >2000, women >1200 = likely; men <1600, women <800 = unlikely.
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 23
velocity integral (TVI) to that of the aortic valve jet—does not ... Table 6 Clinical, anatomical and procedural factors that
require calculation of LVOT area and may assist evaluation when .. influence the choice of treatment modality for an individ-
.. ual patient
other parameters are equivocal (a value <0.25 suggests that severe ..
aortic stenosis is highly likely).156 Assessment of global longitudinal .. Favours Favours
.. TAVI SAVR
strain provides additional information concerning LV function and a ..
threshold of 15% may help to identify patients with severe asympto- .. Clinical characteristics
.. Lower surgical risk 2 1
matic aortic stenosis who are at higher risk of clinical deterioration ..
or premature mortality.26,168 TOE allows evaluation of concomitant .. Higher surgical risk 1 2
..
Intervention likely to be
LVEF < 50% N Symptoms Y of benefitb (after assessment of
comorbidity and frailty)
N Y Y N
N Exercise test
Indicators of adverse
prognosisd and Y Heart Team evaluationc
low procedural risk
Figure 4 Management of patients with severe aortic stenosis. BP = blood pressure; EuroSCORE = European System for Cardiac Operative Risk
Evaluation; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; SAVR = surgical aortic valve replacement; STS-PROM = Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk
of mortality; TAVI = transcatheter aortic valve implantation; TF = transfemoral. aSee Figure 3: Integrated imaging assessment of aortic stenosis. bProhibitive
risk is defined in Supplementary Table 5. cHeart Team assessment based upon careful evaluation of clinical, anatomical, and procedural factors (see Table 6
and table on Recommendations on indications for intervention in symptomatic and asymptomatic aortic stenosis and recommended mode of interven-
tion). The Heart Team recommendation should be discussed with the patient who can then make an informed treatment choice. dAdverse features
according to clinical, imaging (echocardiography/CT), and/or biomarker assessment. eSTS-PROM: http://riskcalc.sts.org/stswebriskcalc/#/calculate,
EuroSCORE II: http://www.euroscore.org/calc.html. fIf suitable for procedure according to clinical, anatomical, and procedural factors (Table 6).
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 25
The interplay between estimated life expectancy and prosthetic ... Intervention should be considered in asympto-
heart valve durability is a key consideration in these discussions. Age ..
.. matic patients with LVEF >55% and a normal
is a surrogate for life expectancy but had no impact on the outcomes .. exercise test if the procedural risk is low and
of the low-risk RCTs at 12 year follow-up. Life expectancy varies ..
.. one of the following parameters is present:
widely across the world and is highly dependent on absolute age, sex, .. • Very severe aortic stenosis (mean gradient
frailty, and the presence of comorbidities (http://ghdx.healthdata.org/ ..
.. _60 mmHg or Vmax >5 m/s).9,242
>
record/ihme-data/gbd-2017-life-tables-1950-2017); it may be a better .. • Severe valve calcification (ideally assessed by IIa B
guide than age alone but is difficult to determine in individual patients. ..
.. CCT) and Vmax progression >
_0.3 m/s/
...
ESC/EACTS 2021
In summary, prosthetic heart valve durability is a key consideration
SAVR should be considered in patients with ..
moderate aortic stenosish undergoing CABG or .. in younger patients (<75 years) at low surgical risk and SAVR (if feasi-
IIa C .. ble) is therefore the preferred treatment option. Conversely, durabil-
surgical intervention on the ascending aorta or ..
another valve after Heart Team discussion. .. ity is a lower priority in older patients (>_75 years), or those who are
.. inoperable or high risk for surgery, and TAVI is preferred in these
BNP = B-type natriuretic peptide; BP = blood pressure; CABG = coronary artery
..
.. groups (particularly if feasible via transfemoral approach). The Heart
bypass grafting; CCT = cardiac computed tomography; EuroSCORE = European .. Team should make tailored recommendations for remaining patients
System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; ..
LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; NCS = non-cardiac surgery; .. based upon their individual characteristics (Table 6). This guidance
.. should be re-addressed when further data concerning the long-term
..
common. The impact of coronary revascularization in patients with .. deficiency and Barlow disease) is most frequent in Western coun-
silent CAD accompanying aortic stenosis is unclear and further stud- .. tries.1,2,266 In low-income countries, rheumatic aetiology is the most
..
ies are warranted in this context (section 3). Both simultaneous .. frequent cause of mitral regurgitation.267 Endocarditis can cause PMR
SAVR and CABG, and SAVR late after CABG, carry a higher proce- .. and is addressed in the corresponding ESC Guidelines.4
..
dural risk than isolated SAVR. Nevertheless, retrospective data indi- ..
cate that patients with moderate aortic stenosis, in whom CABG is ..
..
indicated, benefit from concomitant SAVR. Patients aged <70 .. 6.1.1 Evaluation
years with mean gradient progression > _5 mmHg/year benefit from .. Echocardiography is the first choice of imaging technique to grade
..
ESC/EACTS 2021
Regurgitant fraction (%) >
_50% >
_50%
Structural
Left ventricle Dilated (ESD >
_40 mm) Dilated
2
Left atrium Dilated (diameter >
_55 mm or volume >
_60 mL/m ) Dilated
2D = two-dimensional; ESD = endsystolic diameter; EROA = effective regurgitant orifice area; LA = left atrium; PMR = primary mitral regurgitation; SMR = secondary mitral
regurgitation; PISA = proximal isovelocity surface area; TVI = time-velocity integral.
Adapted from Lancellotti P et al. Recommendations for the echocardiographic assessment of native valvular regurgitation: an executive summary from the European
Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2013;14:611644. Copyright (2013) by permission of Oxford University Press on behalf of the European
Society of Cardiology.
Reproduced from Zoghbi WA et al. Recommendations for noninvasive evaluation of native valvular regurgitation: a report from the American Society of Echocardiography
developed in collaboration with the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2017;30:303371. Copyright (2017), with permission from the
American Society of Echocardiography.
..
recommended in patients with symptomatic severe PMR and accept- .. efficacy of other techniques have been demonstrated in smaller
able surgical risk according to the Heart Team decision. The presence .. series.303306 The efficacy of more recent TEER system iterations307
..
of LVEF <_60%, LVESD > _40 mm,285,286 LA volume > _60 mL/m2 or .. will be investigated in high-risk (MITRA-HR study NCT03271762)308
diameter > _55 mm, 287,288
systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP) .. and intermediate-risk patients (REPAIR-MR study NCT04198870).
.
>50 mmHg,289 and AF290,291 have been associated with worse out- ... Recommendations on indications for intervention in
comes and are considered triggers for intervention regardless of ..
symptomatic status.292 In the absence of these criteria, watchful wait-
.. severe primary mitral regurgitation
..
ing is a safe strategy in asymptomatic patients with severe PMR and .. Recommendations Classa Levelb
..
ideally should be performed in a Heart Valve Clinic. ..
When surgery is considered, mitral valve repair is the surgical .. Mitral valve repair is the recommended surgical
.. technique when the results are expected to be I B
intervention of first choice when the results are expected to be dura- ..
ble according to the Heart Team evaluation since it is associated with .. durable.293296
..
better survival compared to mitral valve replacement.293,294 PMR
...
Surgery is recommended in symptomatic
due to segmental valve prolapse can be repaired with a low risk of .. patients who are operable and not high I B
recurrence and reoperation.294296 The reparability of rheumatic .. risk.293296
..
lesions, extensive valve prolapse and to a greater extent leaflet calcifi- .. Surgery is recommended in asymptomatic
cation or extensive annular calcification is more challenging.297,298 .. patients with LV dysfunction (LVESD >
_40 mm I B
..
Patients requiring a predictably complex repair should undergo sur- .. and/or LVEF <_60%).277,286,292
gery in experienced repair centres with high repair rates, low opera- .. Surgery should be considered in asymptomatic
..
tive mortality, and a record of durable results. When repair is not .. patients with preserved LV function (LVESD
feasible, mitral valve replacement with preservation of the subvalvular .. <40 mm and LVEF >60%) and AF secondary to IIa B
..
apparatus is favoured. .. mitral regurgitation or pulmonary hypertensionc
Transcatheter mitral valve implantation for severe PMR is a safe .. (SPAP at rest >50 mmHg).285,289
..
alternative in patients with contraindications for surgery or high oper- .. Continued
ative risk.299302 TEER is the most evidenced, while the safety and
..
30 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
..
Surgical mitral valve repair should be considered .. 6.1.5 Special populations
.. Sex differences in terms of prevalence of underlying aetiology of PMR
in low-risk asymptomatic patients with LVEF ..
>60%, LVESD <40 mmd and significant LA dilata- .. and management have been reported.298,315,316 Despite the reduc-
_60 mL/m2 or diameter
IIa B .. tion in the prevalence of rheumatic disease in Western countries,
tion (volume index > ..
>
_55 mm) when performed in a Heart Valve .. women still have higher rates of rheumatic mitral regurgitation than
.. men and emerging aetiologies such as radiation heart disease are also
Centre and a durable repair is likely.285,288 ..
TEER may be considered in symptomatic .. more frequent in women.297 These aetiologies are often character-
.. ized by severe calcification of the mitral valve apparatus and associ-
ESC/EACTS 2021
patients who fulfil the echocardiographic criteria ..
Symptoms
N Y
Y
Inoperable or
New onset of AF or
Y at high surgical High risk of futility
SPAP > 50 mmHg
risk
N Y
TEER if
Surgery
Surgical mitral anatomically
Follow-up (repair whenever Palliative care
valve repair suitable/extended
possible)
HF treatmentb
Figure 5 Management of patients with severe chronic primary mitral regurgitation. AF = atrial fibrillation; HF = heart failure; LA = left atrium/left atrial;
LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; LVESD = left ventricular end-systolic diameter; SPAP = systolic pulmonary arterial pressure; TEER: transcatheter
edge-to-edge repair. aLA dilatation: volume index > _60 mL/m2 or diameter >_55 mm at sinus rhythm. bExtended heart failure treatment includes the follow-
ing: CRT; ventricular assist devices; heart transplantation.247
going CABG remains an object of debate.322,330 Surgery is more likely .. COAPT criteria (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip
.. Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral
to be considered if myocardial viability is present and if comorbidity is . Regurgitation): see Supplementary Table 7.
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 33
CAD or other
cardiac disease
requiring treatment
Y N
Y N
Appropriate for
Y
valve surgery
N Y
Y Y N
TEER in selected
CABG or cases or other
other cardiac transcatheter
surgery valve therapy if
HTx/LVAD applicable (for MV Close
AND TEER
Palliative care symptoms surgeryb follow-up
improvement),
MV after careful
surgery evaluation
for HTx/LVAD
Figure 6 Management of patients with chronic severe secondary mitral regurgitation. CAD = coronary artery disease; CABG = coronary artery bypass
grafting; CRT = cardiac resynchronization therapy; ESC = European Society of Cardiology; GDMT = guideline-directed medical therapy; HF = heart failure;
HTx = heart transplantation; LVAD = left ventricular assist devices; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; MV = mitral
valve; PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention; RV = right ventricle/right ventricular; SMR = secondary mitral regurgitation; TAVI = transcatheter aortic
valve implantation; TEER: transcatheter edge-to-edge repair. aLVEF, predicted surgical risk, amount of myocardial viability, coronary anatomy/target ves-
sels, type of concomitant procedure needed, TEER eligibility, likelihood of durable surgical repair, need of surgical mitral replacement, local expertise.
b
Particularly when concomitant tricuspid valve surgery is needed. cCOAPT criteria (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous
Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation): see Supplementary Table 7.
34 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
ESC/EACTS 2021
planimetry may have an additional diagnostic value. TTE usually pro- .. LA, new-onset or paroxysmal AF), and/or
vides sufficient information for routine management. Scoring systems
.. • High risk of haemodynamic decompensation
..
have been developed to help assess suitability for percutaneous mitral .. (systolic pulmonary pressure >50 mmHg at rest,
commissurotomy (PMC; Supplementary Table 8),363365 TOE should
.. need for major NCS, desire for pregnancy).
..
be performed to exclude LA thrombus before PMC or after an embolic ..
episode, and to obtain detailed information on mitral anatomy (com-
.. AF = atrial fibrillation; LA = left atrium/left atrial; MVA = mitral valve area;
.. NCS = non-cardiac surgery; PMC = percutaneous mitral commissurotomy.
missural zones and subvalvular apparatus) before intervention when .. a
Class of recommendation.
TTE is suboptimal. Stress testing is indicated in patients with no symp-
.. b
Level of evidence.
.. c
Unfavourable characteristics for PMC can be defined by the presence of several
toms or symptoms equivocal or discordant with the severity of mitral .. of the following characteristics. Clinical characteristics: old age, history of com-
..
stenosis. Exercise echocardiography may provide objective information .. missurotomy, New York Heart Association class IV, permanent AF, severe pul-
by assessing changes in mitral gradient and pulmonary artery pressure .. monary hypertension. Anatomical characteristics: echocardiographic score >8,
.. Cormier score 3 (calcification of mitral valve of any extent as assessed by fluoro-
and is superior to DSE. Echocardiography plays an important role in .. scopy), very small MVA, severe tricuspid regurgitation. For the definition of
the periprocedural monitoring of PMC and follow-up. .. scores, see Supplementary Table 8.
..
..
..
7.1.2 Indications for intervention ..
The type of treatment (PMC or surgery), as well as its timing, should
..
..
be decided based on clinical characteristics, anatomy of valve and .. Table 8 Contraindications for percutaneous mitral com-
.. missurotomy in rheumatic mitral stenosisa
subvalvular apparatus, and local expertise.366369 In general, indica- ..
tion for intervention should be limited to patients with clinically signif- .. Contraindications
..
icant (moderate-to-severe) rheumatic mitral stenosis (valve area .. MVA >1.5 cm2a
<_1.5 cm2) in whom PMC has had a significant impact on its manage- ..
.. LA thrombus
ment. In Western countries where incidence of rheumatic fever and .. More than mild mitral regurgitation
number of PMC is low, this treatment should be restricted to expert ..
.. Severe or bi-commissural calcification
operators in specialized centres to improve safety and procedural ..
ESC/EACTS 2021
success rate.366 Efforts should be made to increase availability of .. Absence of commissural fusion
.. Severe concomitant aortic valve disease, or severe combined tricuspid
PMC in developing countries where access to treatment is limited ..
due to economic reasons.267 PMC should be considered as an initial .. stenosis and regurgitation requiring surgery
..
treatment for selected patients with mild to moderate calcification or .. Concomitant CAD requiring bypass surgery
impaired subvalvular apparatus, but who have otherwise favourable .. CAD = coronary artery disease; LA = left atrium/left atrial; MVA = mitral valve
..
clinical characteristics.360 .. area; PMC = percutaneous mitral commissurotomy.
a
.. PMC may be considered in patients with valve area >1.5 cm2 with symptoms
The management of clinically significant rheumatic mitral stenosis is .. that cannot be explained by another cause and if the anatomy is favourable.
summarized in Figure 7 and the indications and contraindications for ..
PMC are provided in the table of recommendations below, and Table 8.
..
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 35
Symptoms
N Y
N
N Y
Contraindication
Exercise testing or high risk Y Y
for surgery
Symptoms N
Contraindication to Favourable
N or unfavourable anatomical Y
characteristics for PMC characteristicsc
Favourable
N Y clinical Y
characteristicsc
Figure 7 Management of clinically significant rheumatic mitral stenosis (MVA <_1.5 cm2). AF = atrial fibrillation; LA = left atrium/left atrial; MVA = mitral
valve area; NCS = non-cardiac surgery; PMC = percutaneous mitral commissurotomy. aHigh thromboembolic risk: history of systemic embolism, dense
spontaneous contrast in the LA, new-onset AF. High-risk of haemodynamic decompensation: systolic pulmonary pressure >50 mmHg at rest, need for
major NCS, desire for pregnancy. bSurgical commissurotomy may be considered by experienced surgical teams in patients with contraindications to PMC.
c
See recommendations on indications for PMC and mitral valve surgery in clinically significant mitral stenosis in section 7.2. dSurgery if symptoms occur for
a low level of exercise and operative risk is low.
..
7.1.3 Medical therapy .. isolation are indicated before intervention in patients with significant
.. mitral stenosis, as they do not durably restore sinus rhythm. If AF is
Diuretics, beta-blockers, digoxin, non-dihydropyridine calcium chan- ..
nel blockers and ivabradine can improve symptoms. Anticoagulation .. of recent onset and the LA is only moderately enlarged, cardiover-
.. sion should be performed soon after successful intervention, it
with vitamin K antagonist (VKA) with a target international normal- ..
ized ratio (INR) between 2 and 3 is indicated in patients with AF.
.. should also be considered in patients with less than severe mitral
.. stenosis. Amiodarone is most effective in maintaining the sinus
Patients with moderate-to-severe mitral stenosis and AF should be ..
kept on VKA and not receive NOACs. Currently there is no solid
.. rhythm after cardioversion. In patients in sinus rhythm, OAC is rec-
.. ommended when there has been a history of systemic embolism or a
evidence to support the use of NOACs in this setting370 and a ..
randomized clinical trial is underway (INVICTUS VKA NCT
.. thrombus is present in the LA and should also be considered when
.. TOE shows dense spontaneous echocardiographic contrast or an
02832544). Neither cardioversion nor catheter pulmonary vein ..
. enlarged LA (M-mode diameter >50 mm or LA volume >60 mL/m2).
36 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
..
7.1.4 Serial testing .. 7.2.2 Indications for intervention
Asymptomatic patients with clinically significant mitral stenosis .. Treatment options, including transcatheter and surgical approaches,
..
should be followed up yearly by clinical and echocardiographic .. are high-risk procedures and evidence from randomized trials is lack-
examinations; and at longer intervals (23 years) in case of moderate .. ing. Even if the procedure is done successfully and the transvalvular
..
stenosis. Follow-up of patients after successful PMC is similar to that .. gradient is reduced, due to low compliance of the LA and LV the
of asymptomatic patients and should be more frequent if asympto- .. mean atrial pressure may remain elevated.
..
matic restenosis occurs. .. In elderly patients with degenerative mitral stenosis and MAC, sur-
.. gery is technically challenging and high risk.380 As there is no commis-
..
..
dilatation, along with RV and right atrium dimensions, as well as RV .. 8.2 Indications for intervention
function should be measured, owing to their prognostic relevance.398 .. Severe tricuspid regurgitation is associated with impaired
..
In experienced laboratories, RV strain27 and/or 3D measurements of .. survival389,414416 and worsening heart failure.397,417 In clinical prac-
RV volumes399,400 may be considered to overcome the existing limi- ..
.. tice, tricuspid valve interventions are underused and often initiated
tations of conventional RV function indices.102 When available, CMR .. too late.418420 Appropriate timing of intervention is crucial to avoid
is the preferred method to assess the RV400 due to its high accuracy ..
.. irreversible RV damage and organ failure with subsequent increased
and reproducibility.401 .. surgical risk421,422 (see table of recommendations on indications for
Echocardiographic evaluation of tricuspid regurgitation severity is ..
.. intervention in tricuspid valve disease in section 9 and Figure 8).
Severity/aetiology of TR Severity/aetiology of TR
No concomitant
Y
TV surgery
Symptomatic Y Symptomatic Y
N N
RV dilatation RV dilatation Y
N Y N
Medical therapy
Appropriate for
surgery according Y
to the Heart Team
Figure 8 Management of tricuspid regurgitation. LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; RV = right ventricle/right ventricular; TA = tricuspid annulus;
TR = tricuspid regurgitation; TV = tricuspid valve. aThe Heart Team with expertise in the treatment of tricuspid valve disease evaluates anatomical eligibility for
transcatheter therapy including jet location, coaptation gap, leaflet tethering, potential interference with pacing lead. bReplacement when repair is not feasible.
principles for the management of combined or multiple-valve dis- .. dary severe tricuspid regurgitation may be con-
ease are as follows:
.. sidered in inoperable patients at a Heart Valve IIb C
..
.. Centre with expertise in the treatment of tricus-
• When either stenosis or regurgitation is predominant, man- .. pid valve disease.f
agement follows the recommendations concerning the pre- ..
..
dominant VHD. When the severity of both stenosis and .. 2D = two-dimensional; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; PMC = percutaneous
regurgitation is balanced, indications for interventions should .. mitral commissurotomy; RV = right ventricle/right ventricular.
.. a
Class of recommendation.
be based on symptoms and objective consequences rather .. b
Level of evidence.
than on the indices of severity of stenosis or regur-
.. c
Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty can be attempted as a first approach if tricus-
..
gitation.453456 In this setting, Doppler pressure gradient .. pid stenosis is isolated.
lead to underestimation of the severity of aortic stenosis, as ... A mechanical prosthesis should be considered in
decreased stroke volume due to mitral regurgitation lowers ..
.. patients aged <60 years for prostheses in the
IIa B
the flow across the aortic valve and hence the aortic gra- .. aortic position and aged <65 years for prosthe-
dient.453 This underlines the need to combine different meas- .. ses in the mitral position.462, 464 e
..
urements, including assessment of valve areas, if possible using .. A mechanical prosthesis should be considered in
methods that are less dependent on loading conditions, such ..
.. patients with a reasonable life expectancy for
as planimetry.457 .. whom future redo valve surgery or TAVI (if
IIa C
• Indications for intervention are based on global assessment of ..
.. appropriate) would be at high risk. f
ESC/EACTS 2021
11 Prosthetic valves .. position or aged >70 years in a mitral position.
.. A bioprosthesis may be considered in patients
..
11.1 Choice of prosthetic valve .. already on long-term NOACs due to the high IIb B
.. risk for thromboembolism.466469 f
Factors for valve selection are the patient’s life expectancy, lifestyle, ..
and environmental factors, bleeding and thromboembolic risks ..
.. AF = atrial fibrillation; NOAC = non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant;
related to anticoagulation, potential for surgical or transcatheter re- .. SVD = structural valve deterioration; TAVI = transcatheter aortic valve
intervention, and, importantly, informed patient preference.
.. implantation.
.. a
Class of recommendation.
.. b
Level of evidence.
Recommendations for prosthetic valve selection
.. c
Increased bleeding risk because of comorbidities, adherence concerns or geo-
..
.. graphic, lifestyle or occupational conditions.
d
Recommendations Classa Levelb .. Young age (<40 years), hyperparathyroidism, haemodialysis.
.. e
In patients 6065 years of age who should receive an aortic prosthesis and
Mechanical prostheses
.. those between 65 and 70 years of age in the case of mitral prosthesis, both valves
.. are acceptable and the choice requires careful analysis of factors other than age.
A mechanical prosthesis is recommended .. f
Risk factors for thromboembolism are AF, previous unprovoked proximal deep
.. venous thromboembolism and/or symptomatic pulmonary embolism, hyper-
according to the desire of the informed patient
I C
..
and if there are no contraindications to long- .. coagulable state, antiphospholipid antibody.
g
.. Life expectancy should be estimated at >10 years according to age, sex, comor-
term anticoagulation.c .. bidities, and country-specific life expectancy.
A mechanical prosthesis is recommended in
..
I C ..
patients at risk of accelerated SVD.d .. Generally, biological heart valves (BHVs) should be preferred in
..
A mechanical prosthesis should be considered in .. patients with shorter anticipated survival or comorbidities that may
patients already on anticoagulation because of a IIa C ..
.. lead to further surgical procedures, and those who are at increased
mechanical prosthesis in another valve position. .. risk for bleeding complications. Thromboembolic complications are
Continued ..
.. less frequent in pregnant women with BHVs.
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 41
..
In a nationwide observational study, patients aged 45 to 54 with .. are substantially increased up to 6 months.477,478 Long-term preven-
surgical aortic BHV implantation and those aged 40 to 70 years with .. tion of valve thrombosis and thromboembolism after MHV implanta-
..
surgical mitral BHV implantation had a significantly higher 15-year .. tion involves effective antithrombotic medication and risk factor
mortality than those with a mechanical heart valve (MHV). An analy- .. modification for thromboembolism.479
..
sis of patients 55 to 64 years of age showed no difference in mortality ..
between aortic BHV and MHV prosthesis.462 However, an earlier
.. 11.3.1.2 Target international normalized ratio
..
systematic review463 and a recent meta-analysis464 of studies com- .. Target INR should be based upon prosthesis thrombogenicity and
paring aortic MHVs and BHVs showed a significant mortality reduc-
.. patient-related risk factors (Table 10).479 It is recommended to target
..
ESC/EACTS 2021
progressive disease of another heart valve.314 Clinical assessment .. None 1 risk factor
.. Lowb 2.5 3.0
should be performed yearly or as soon as possible if new cardiac ..
symptoms occur. TTE should be performed if any new symptoms .. Mediumc 3.0 3.5
.. d
occur or if complications are suspected. After transcatheter, as well .. High 3.5 4.0
as surgical implantation of a BHV, echocardiography, including meas-
..
.. AF = atrial fibrillation; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction.
a
urement of transprosthetic gradients, should be performed within .. Mitral or tricuspid valve replacement; previous thromboembolism; AF; mitral
In the absence of bleeding, the use of PCC and/or FFP therapy is .. Transcatheter bioprostheses: A meta-analysis of three small RCTs
..
not recommended and the decision to start vitamin K should be indi- .. showed a significant increase in major or life-threatening bleeding
vidualized. In asymptomatic patients with INR >10, the VKA must be
.. with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) over ASA at 30 days, with no
..
stopped and oral vitamin K (2.55 mg) prescribed, while the INR .. difference in ischaemic outcomes.495 Consistently, the more recent
must be monitored on a daily base for 2 weeks. Multiple RCTs in
.. POPular TAVI trial (cohort A) found reduced bleeding and the com-
..
patients with INR between 4.5 and 10 suggest no difference in bleed- .. posite of bleeding or thromboembolic events with ASA compared
ing events with vitamin K vs. placebo.483,485 Therefore, in such
.. with DAPT.496 A randomized trial was halted prematurely due to
..
patients, warfarin should be stopped temporarily, and a small dose of .. safety concerns with a rivaroxaban-based regimen as compared with
..
..
Transcatheter bioprostheses: In the POPular TAVI trial (cohort B), .. (e.g. 3 months). However, the potential for bleeding complications in
the incidence of bleeding over a period of 1 month or 1 year was .. the postoperative phase dictates careful patient selection.
..
lower with OAC than with OAC plus clopidogrel.501 OAC alone .. The management of antithrombotic treatment after prosthetic
was non-inferior to OAC plus clopidogrel with respect to ischaemic .. valve implantation or valve repair is summarized in the table of rec-
..
events, but the non-inferiority margin was large. An observational .. ommendations for management of antithrombotic therapy after
study suggested that there is a higher risk of ischaemic events at .. prosthetic valve implantation or valve repair and in Figure 9.
..
1 year with NOACs compared with VKAs, after adjustment for ..
potential confounders.502 Randomized trials comparing NOACs vs. ..
..
N Y N Y N Y
Figure 9 Antithrombotic therapy for valve prostheses. AF = atrial fibrillation; ASA = acetylsalicylic acid; CAD = coronary artery disease; DAPT = dual
antiplatelet therapy; INR = international normalized ratio; LMWH = low-molecular-weight heparin; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; MHV = mechanical
heart valve; MVR = mitral valve replacement or repair; OAC = oral anticoagulation; SAPT = single antiplatelet therapy; SAVR = surgical aortic valve
replacement; TAVI = transcatheter aortic valve implantation; TVR = tricuspid valve replacement or repair; UFH = unfractionated heparin; VKA = vitamin K
antagonist. Colour coding corresponds to class of recommendation.
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 45
Suspicion of thrombosis
N Y N Y N Y
Success/failure
N Y N Y
FAILURE SUCCESS
Optimize
anticoagulation
High-risk
for surgery
N Persistence of Y
thrombus or TE
Disappearance
or decrease Persistence
of thrombus of thrombus
Signs of TE
N Y
Surgery
Surgery Fibrinolysis Follow-up Follow-up (or fibrinolysis if
surgery is high risk)
Figure 10 Management of left-sided obstructive and non-obstructive mechanical prosthetic thrombosis. ASA = acetylsalicylic acid; CCT = cardiac com-
puted tomography; i.v. = intravenous; TOE = transoesophageal echocardiography; TE = thromboembolism; TTE = transthoracic echocardiography;
UFH = unfractionated heparin. Risk and benefits of both treatments should be individualized. The presence of a first-generation prosthesis is an incentive
to surgery. aRefer to recommendations for the imaging assessment of prosthetic heart valves. Evaluation generally includes TTE plus TOE or CCT and
occasionally fluoroscopy.
46 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
..
of paravalvular regurgitation) may reveal the most plausible underly- .. BHVs have also been reported after surgery or transcatheter valve
ing cause and guide clinical decision making. .. implantation.541 Thrombus on BHVs can present as hypo-attenuated
..
Percutaneous balloon interventions should be avoided in the treat- .. leaflet thickening (HALT) with relatively normal leaflet motion, HALT
ment of stenotic left-sided bioprostheses. Transcatheter valve-in-valve .. with reduced leaflet motion but normal gradients, and clinical valve
..
implantation is an option for treating degenerated BHVs in patients .. thrombosis with elevated gradients. Distinguishing between thrombus
with increased surgical risk.227,523525 Redo-TAVI is a safe and feasible
.. and pannus by means of CCT is important to guide decision making.
..
option in selected patients, but the risk of PPM in small valves and that ..
of coronary occlusion, as well the possibility for future access to the
.. 11.4.4.2 Valve thrombosis
..
..
Surgery should be considered for large .. 12.1 Preoperative evaluation
IIa C
.. Patient and surgical specific factors dictate the strategy.489,548,549 The
(>10 mm) non-obstructive prosthetic thrombus ..
complicated by embolism. .. cardiologist provides recommendations on pre- and perioperative
..
Bioprosthetic thrombosis .. management, surveillance, and continuation of chronic cardiovascular
Anticoagulation using a VKA and/or UFH is rec-
.. medical treatment. Echocardiography should be performed in any
..
ommended in bioprosthetic valve thrombosis I C .. patient with VHD requiring NCS. Determination of functional
before considering re-intervention.
.. capacity is a pivotal step in preoperative risk assessment, measured
..
.. either by ability to perform activities in daily life or by exercise test.
intervention.382,531,532 ..
Reoperation should be considered in asympto- .. mitral regurgitation or aortic regurgitation and preserved LV func-
.. tion. The presence of symptoms or LV dysfunction should lead to
matic patients with significant prosthetic dys- IIa C ..
function if reoperation is low risk. .. consideration of valvular surgery, but this is seldom needed before
.. NCS. If LV dysfunction is severe (ejection fraction <30%) and/or
..
UFH = unfractionated heparin; VKA = vitamin K antagonist. .. SPAP is >50/60 mmHg, NCS should be performed only if strictly nec-
a
Class of recommendation. .. essary and after optimization of medical therapy for heart failure.
b
Level of evidence. ..
..
..
.. 12.3 Perioperative monitoring
.. Heart rate control (particularly in mitral stenosis) and careful fluid
12 Management during non- ..
.. management (particularly in aortic stenosis) are needed. TOE moni-
cardiac surgery .. toring may be considered.
..
..
Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are increased in patients with ..
VHD who undergo NCS. Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis or ..
.. 13 Management during pregnancy
mitral stenosis may require valve replacement or percutaneous inter- ..
vention before NCS. A detailed description of recommendations in .. Detailed guidelines on the management of cardiovascular disease during
..
the setting is available in specific ESC Guidelines.489 . pregnancy are available in another document.554 The decision for
48 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
N Symptoms
Y
Risk of NCS Risk of NCS
HIGH
Patient risk for
HIGH LOW-MODERATE AV procedure
(TAVI/SAVR)
HIGH LOW
Figure 11 Management of non-cardiac surgery (NCS) in patients with severe aortic stenosis. AV = aortic valve; BAV = balloon aortic valvuloplasty;
NCS = non cardiac surgery; SAVR = surgical aortic valve replacement; TAVI = transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
..
management before and during pregnancy should be taken after multi- .. without aortic repair.558 Although the actual risk of dissection is
disciplinary discussion in the pregnancy Heart Team involving cardiolo- .. not well documented in the setting of bicuspid valves, counselling
..
gists, cardiac surgeons, obstetricians, neonatologists, and .. against pregnancy is recommended in the setting of aortic diame-
anaesthesiologists. .. ters >50 mm (>27 mm2 BSA).559 Finally, an aortic diameter
..
.. >25 mm/m2 BSA in Turner syndrome and all patients with vascular
.. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are also contraindications for pregnancy.
13.1 Management before pregnancy ..
..
Valve disease should be evaluated before pregnancy and treated if .. In women considering pregnancy and requiring heart valve
necessary.554,555
.. replacement, it is recommended to choose the prosthesis in consul-
..
Pregnancy should be discouraged, and intervention should be rec- .. tation with a pregnancy Heart Team.554,560
ommended before pregnancy in the following cases:
.. Pregnancy in women with a mechanical valve, especially in the
..
.. mitral position, is associated with a high risk of maternal and foetal
• Patients with mitral stenosis and a valve area <1.5 cm2 (especially .. complications,554,561 which should be carefully discussed with the
if <1.0 cm2).554,556 ..
.. patient and family.
• All symptomatic patients with severe AS or asymptomatic ..
patients with impaired LV function (LVEF <50%) or an abnormal ..
..
exercise test should be counselled against pregnancy, and surgery ..
should be performed pre-pregnancy.554,557 .. 13.2 Management during pregnancy
..
• Women with Marfan syndrome and an aortic diameter >45 mm .. 13.2.1 Patients with native valve disease
should be strongly discouraged from becoming pregnant without .. Moderate or severe mitral stenosis with a valve area <1.5 cm2 in
..
prior aortic repair because of the high risk of aortic dissection. .. pregnant women is usually poorly tolerated. PMC should be consid-
Although an aortic diameter <40 mm is rarely associated with .. ered in severely symptomatic patients [New York Heart Association
..
aortic dissection, a completely safe diameter does not exist. With .. (NYHA) class IIIIV] and/or those with SPAP >50 mmHg despite
an aortic diameter between 40 and 45 mm, previous aortic growth
.. optimal therapy. PMC should preferably be performed after the 20th
..
and family history are important for advising pregnancy with or . week of pregnancy in experienced centres.554
ESC/EACTS Guidelines 49
..
In patients who are severely symptomatic despite medical therapy, .. 7. Heart Valve Centres with multidisciplinary Heart Teams, Heart
BAV for severe aortic stenosis can be undertaken by an experienced .. Valve Clinics, comprehensive equipment, and sufficient volumes of
..
operator.557 TAVI is a promising alternative, but experience during .. procedures are required to deliver high-quality care and provide
pregnancy is very limited.554 .. adequate training.
..
Surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with a foetal .. 8. Careful follow-up of symptomatic status, LV/RV size, and func-
mortality rate of 1556%562 and should be restricted to the rare .. tion is mandatory in asymptomatic patients with severe VHD if an
..
conditions that threaten the mother’s life if transcatheter interven- .. intervention is not yet indicated.
tion is not possible or has failed. Valve replacement should be consid- .. 9. In patients with AF, NOACs are contraindicated in patients with
..
..
Tricuspid regurgitation .. a. Long-term durability of transcatheter heart valves in comparison
18. Relevant tricuspid regurgitation requires early intervention to .. with surgical bioprostheses.
..
avoid secondary damage of the RV. .. b. Role of intervention (SAVR or TAVI) in asymptomatic patients.
19. Tricuspid regurgitation should be liberally treated at the time .. c. Role of TAVI in younger low-risk patients, patients with aortic steno-
..
of left-sided valve surgery. Isolated surgery of severe secondary tri- .. sis affecting bicuspid valves, and patients with moderate aortic steno-
cuspid regurgitation (with or without previous left-sided valve sur- .. sis and LV impairment.
..
gery) requires comprehensive assessment of the underlying disease, .. d. Results of re-intervention (valve or coronary) after TAVI or SAVR.
pulmonary haemodynamics, and RV function. .. e. The role of revascularization in patients with severe aortic stenosis
..
16 To Do and Not To Do
The choice between surgical and transcatheter intervention must be based upon careful evaluation of clinical, anatomi-
cal, and procedural factors by the Heart Team, weighing the risks and benefits of each approach for an individual
I C
patient. The Heart Team recommendation should be discussed with the patient who can then make an informed
treatment choice.
SAVR is recommended in younger patients who are low risk for surgery (<75 years and STS-PROM/ EuroSCORE II
I B
<4%), or in patients who are operable and unsuitable for transfemoral TAVI.
TAVI is recommended in older patients (>
_75 years), or in those who are high risk (STS-PROM/EuroSCORE II >8%)
I A
or unsuitable for surgery.
Recommendations for perioperative and postoperative antithrombotic management of valve replacement or repair
Management of antithrombotic therapy in the perioperative period
It is recommended that VKAs are timely discontinued prior to elective surgery to aim for an INR <1.5. I C
Bridging of OAC, when interruption is needed, is recommended in patients with any of the following indications:
• Mechanical prosthetic heart valve.
• AF with significant mitral stenosis.
I C
• AF with a CHA2DS2-VASc score >
_3 for women or 2 for men.
•
ACS = acute coronary syndrome; AF = atrial fibrillation; BHV = biological heart valve; BSA = body surface area; CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting; CAD = coronary artery
disease; CRT = cardiac resynchronization therapy; DAPT = dual antiplatelet therapy; EuroSCORE = European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation; GDMT = guideline-
directed medical therapy; h = hours; INR = international normalized ratio; LMWH = low-molecular-weight heparin; LV = left ventricle/left ventricular; LVEF = left ventricular
ejection fraction; LVESD = left ventricular end-systolic diameter; MHV = mechanical heart valve; MR = mitral regurgitation; NOAC = non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant;
OAC = oral anticoagulation; PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention; PMC = percutaneous mitral commissurotomy; RV = right ventricle/right ventricular; SAPT = single anti-
platelet therapy; SAVR = surgical aortic valve replacement; SMR = secondary mitral regurgitation; STS-PROM = Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality;
SVD = structural valve deterioration; SVi = stroke volume index; TAVI = transcatheter aortic valve implantation; UFH = unfractionated heparin; VHD = valvular heart disease;
VKA = vitamin K antagonist.
54 ESC/EACTS Guidelines
..
17 Supplementary data .. Achenbach (Germany), Riccardo Asteggiano (Italy), Fabio Barili1
.. (Italy), Michael A. Borger (Germany), Thierry Carrel1 (Switzerland),
Supplementary Data with additional Supplementary figures, tables, and
..
.. Jean-Philippe Collet (France), Dan Foldager (Denmark), Gilbert
text complementing the full text are available on the European Heart .. Habib (France), Christian Hassager (Denmark), Alar Irs1 (Estonia),
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