Valvular Heart Disease in Adults: Management of Prosthetic Heart Valves

Patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement may receive mechanical or bioprosthetic valves. Mechanical valves require lifelong anticoagulation but are durable and the need for a second surgery is up to eightfold times less than with bioprosthetic valves. Bioprosthetic valves do not require lifelong anticoagulation and thus are associated with fewer bleeding complications but they are less durable and associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in younger patients. Anticoagulation with mechanical valves is achieved using warfarin; use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants is not indicated. Concomitant low-dose aspirin is recommended for patients with mechanical valves and as sole thromboembolism prophylaxis for patients receiving aortic or mitral bioprosthetic valves. If a patient taking warfarin is to undergo a surgical procedure that requires interruption of anticoagulation, bridging therapy with heparin is indicated if the patient has a mechanical aortic valve and any risk of thromboembolism, an older-generation mechanical aortic valve, or a mechanical mitral valve. Warfarin is teratogenic; pregnant women should take heparin. Patients with mechanical or bioprosthetic valves should receive antibiotic prophylaxis before some dental and surgical procedures to prevent endocarditis. Thrombolytic therapy should be considered in patients who develop a thrombus on a valve that does not resolve with heparin.