Assessment and management of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Purpose of review Coronary artery disease (CAD) is commonly observed in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Significant variability exists across institutions for strategies used for CAD diagnosis and its management. The heart team often relies upon traditional practice patterns and the decision for revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is influenced by patient, angiographic, operator, and system-related factors. Recent findings Contemporary coronary tomography angiography (CTA) shows significant promise for detection of clinically important CAD and preliminary data support CTA use for TAVR patients. The prognostic implications of CAD in a TAVR population remain unclear with studies showing conflicting data for the benefits of PCI. Recent trials show that medical management is an effective initial treatment strategy for stable CAD, a finding likely also applicable for asymptomatic and stable TAVR patients. In addition, PCI performed pre-TAVR, concomitant with TAVR or after TAVR has been shown to produce similar outcomes. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is mandated after PCI but associated with increased risk of bleeding in TAVR population with accumulating evidence for single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) post-TAVR unless DAPT or anticoagulation is indicated for another reason. Summary Although coronary angiography remains the predominant modality for CAD assessment, CTA is increasingly being used in TAVR patients....
Source: Current Opinion in Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Tags: COMPLEX ISSUES IN CORONARY REVASCULARIZATION: Edited by Bobby Yanagawa and Subodh Verma Source Type: research