Structural Heart Disease

Structural heart diseases include any issues preventing normal cardiovascular function due to damage or alteration to the anatomical components of the heart. This is caused by aging, advanced atherosclerosis, calcification, tissue degeneration, congenital heart defects and heart failure. The most commonly treated areas are the heart valves, in particular the mitral and aortic valves. These can be replaced through open heart surgery or using cath lab-based transcatheter valves or repairs to eliminate regurgitation due to faulty valve leaflets. This includes transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Other common procedures include left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion and closing congenital holes in the heart, such as PFO and ASD. A growing area includes transcatheter mitral repair or replacement and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement.

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Who Shouldn’t Get TAVR? Lower-risk TAVR Raises New Challenges Around Assessing Patient Eligibility

As TAVR finds a new comfort zone in younger, healthier patients, determining who shouldn’t receive the replacement valve is becoming a nuanced and challenging exercise.

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Early anticoagulation after SAVR reduces stroke risk

Early anticoagulation after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement didn’t result in adverse clinical events or significantly affect aortic valve hemodynamics in a recent analysis of 4,832 heart patients, but it was linked to lower stroke rates in cases of SAVR.

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FDA expands indication for TAVR to low-risk patients

The FDA has expanded its indication for TAVR to low-risk patients, the agency announced August 16, approving a handful of valves for an intervention that was previously limited to intermediate- and high-risk patients.

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Mental illness common in kids, adults with CHD

Mental illnesses including developmental and mood disorders are prevalent in adolescents and adults with CHD, an American Journal of Cardiology study found, suggesting mental health care might be a beneficial factor in comprehensive treatment.

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Whites see higher use but similar outcomes of TAVR, TMVR compared to black, Hispanic patients

White patients are recommended for three of the most common structural heart disease interventions more often than their black and Hispanic counterparts, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, but procedural outcomes are similar among the groups.

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Reports of burst balloons prompt Canadian recall of Sapien 3 Ultra

Reports of burst balloons with the Sapien 3 Ultra heart valve have resulted in an urgent safety notice from the manufacturer and a Canadian recall of the system.

FDA approves 4th-gen MitraClip for TMVR

Abbott’s fourth-generation MitraClip device was approved by the FDA July 15 to treat mitral regurgitation (MR) in a wider population of patients, the company announced this week.

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SAVR strips the average patient of nearly 2 years of life

Patients with aortic stenosis who undergo SAVR live on average 1.9 years less than the general population, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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