ACC/AHA Release New Heart Valve Disease Guidelines

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have updated their guidelines on the management of heart valve disease.

The new guideline, based upon a literature review of available evidence through March 1, 2020, will replace the groups’ 2014 recommendations, as well as their 2017 focused updated.

Among the groups’ take-home messages:

• Valvular heart disease stages should be classified based on symptoms, valve anatomy, severity of valve dysfunction, and response of ventricle and pulmonary circulation.
• Shared decision making based upon the CHA2DS2-VASc score should be used to decide whether oral anticoagulation is appropriate to prevent thromboembolic events in patients with valvular heart disease and atrial fibrillation.
• Treatment of severe aortic stenosis with transcatheter or surgical valve prosthesis should be based on symptoms or reduced ventricular systolic function.
• Relief of symptoms and prevention of long-term consequences of left ventricular volume overload are both indication for intervention for valvular regurgitation.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association joint committee on clinical practice guidelines. Circulation. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000923.