Pulmonary hypertension patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement are at a higher risk for mortality than those without pulmonary hypertension, according to a recent study.
Researchers analyzed the data of more than 35,000 pulmonary hypertension patients pooled from 15 international studies conducted between 2015 and 2024. The findings were published in Cureus on April 18.
Cardiovascular mortality was 1.66 times higher for post-TAVR patients with pulmonary hypertension compared to patients without. Short- and long-term risk of death was 1.46 and 1.42 times higher, respectively.
The authors highlighted disparities between pulmonary hypertension thresholds across the 15 studies as a complication encountered when attempting to establish more definitive analysis. They also found only two of the 15 studies analyzed had data comparing mortality risk for patients with different types of pulmonary hypertension.
"We advocate for further research to address gaps in understanding different types of PH and their impacts on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes," the authors wrote. "The need for standardized diagnostic criteria and cutoff points for PH assessment in TAVR patients is evident, emphasizing the importance of ongoing investigation in this area."
Patients who undergo TAVR are at a higher risk of stroke post-procedure as well.
Researchers found the 30-day incidence rate of stroke was 3%, with the majority of stroke events happening in the first 48 hours after surgery, Becker's reported in January. The incidence of stroke was 4.3% at one year and 7.8% at five years.