Usefulness of Antiplatelet Therapy After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

The rationale for dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is to facilitate endothelialization of metallic struts of the transcatheter heart valve and to prevent thrombosis that could lead to thromboembolic events. Based on expert consensus, current societal guidelines recommend DAPT for 1 to 6 months after TAVI with weak evidence. Although the pivotal TAVI trials mandated this regimen, the evidence for the efficacy of DAPT to prevent transcatheter heart valve thrombosis is limited to 3 small trials and a handful of observational studies. Multiple coronary trials have demonstrated that DAPT is associated with increased bleeding in comparison with single antiplatelet therapy, especially in elderly patients. TAVI patients are predominantly elderly and frequently have risk factors that predispose them to bleeding. Herein, we summarize the evidence for antiplatelet therapy after TAVI and explore the theoretical benefit of DAPT to prevent thromboembolic events versus the risk of increased bleeding.