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What is TAVR?

Polaroid of Joy, a real TAVR patient, standing in a train station

Severe aortic stenosis, also known as heart valve failure, is not only scary, it’s dangerous—so it’s good to know you have a treatment like TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement). TAVR is a way to fix your failing valve without open heart surgery.

People with heart valve failure who get TAVR before symptoms start are shown to have better outcomes than those who use the “wait and see” approach.

Diet and exercise may help fix conditions like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but not heart valve failure. It only gets worse over time and may become deadly without valve replacement. You have options. Ask your doctor if TAVR is one of them.

Here’s what you need to know about TAVR:

Who

All patients diagnosed with heart valve failure should ask for a TAVR evaluation.

TAVR may also be appropriate for symptomatic patients with bicuspid aortic valves, and for those at high risk for surgery and who need another valve procedure (valve-in-valve).

What

TAVR doesn’t involve opening the chest, meaning it’s a minimally invasive way to replace a failing aortic heart valve.*

When

As soon as you’re diagnosed with heart valve failure, it’s time to get referred.

Where

Ask your doctor to refer you to a TAVR Hospital, where you will be evaluated by a Heart Valve Team to see if TAVR is right for you.

Why

With heart valve failure, every week counts. By delaying treatment, you’re risking hospitalization, stroke, or even death.

See the TAVR procedure

Watch this video for an inside look at a TAVR procedure.

Watch video
Most TAVR patients:
One hour icon

Are finished with
the procedure in
about 1 hour

Icon of person walking

Are up and
walking within
hours

Icon of a person inside of a house

Go home the
next day

Icon of the number 30 on a calendar

Recover quickly and
start feeling like
themselves in
about 30 days

The major risks of TAVR include death, stroke, serious damage to the arteries, or serious bleeding.

SAPIEN 3 TAVR is proven superior to surgery in low-risk patients at 1 year—and proven equally effective at 5 years.*1,2

*

The PARTNER 3 Trial, SAPIEN 3 TAVR proven superior to surgery on the primary endpoint of all-cause death, all stroke, and re-hospitalization (valve-related or procedure-related and including heart failure) at one year, and multiple pre-specified secondary endpoints in low risk patients.

PARTNER 3 Trial 5-Year Results in low-risk patients – Low rates of cardiovascular mortality through five years (5.5% SAPIEN 3 TAVR to 5.1% SAVR). Low rates of all-cause mortality through five years (10.1% SAPIEN 3 TAVR vs. 8.2% with SAVR). Low rates of disabling stroke through five years (2.9% SAPIEN 3 TAVR to 2.7% SAVR). Low rates of stroke through five years (5.8% SAPIEN 3 TAVR vs. 6.4% SAVR). Lower rates of rehospitalization with SAPIEN 3 TAVR through five years (13.7% vs. 17.4%).

Polaroid of James, a real TAVR patient, looking at a map with a woman in the background

Have heart valve failure?

It’s critical to get referred to a Heart Valve Team right away.

Find one here

Not all TAVR valves are the same

See why receiving a TAVR valve by Edwards matters.

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Start your Informed Decision Guide

This 7-minute questionnaire can help you and your doctor decide the best treatment path for you.

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References: 1.Mack MJ, Leon MB, Thourani VH, et al. Transcatheter aortic-valve replacement in low-risk patients at five years. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(21):1949-1960. 2.Mack MJ, Leon MB, Thourani VH, et al. Transcatheter aortic-valve replacement with a balloon-expandable valve in low-risk patients. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(18):1695-1705.

Patients and/or clinicians quoted on this website have received compensation from Edwards Lifesciences.