I TRUSTED MY HEART VALVE TEAM
when they said waiting could be deadly.
I PUT MY TRUST
IN TAVR

RICK|REAL TAVR PATIENT AND CARDIAC SURGEON

Your patients trust you to know when to act1

Your patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (sSAS) have a chance for optimal outcomes with TAVR—including low-risk patients.2 Explore the broadened eligibility of TAVR.

SUSAN, age 73
Susan, age 73, a low surgical risk patient eligible for TAVR

Low surgical risk

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TAVR Patient

AS disease progression:
Severe AS, symptoms include decreased exercise tolerance

AS disease progression:
Severe AS, symptoms include decreased exercise tolerance

NYHA class: II

Frailty indicators: 0

Surgical risk score: 2%

Comorbidities: None

QoL expectations: Retired nurse who enjoys frequent travel, working out, and bike rides. She looks forward to an extended life expectancy due to her age and active lifestyle.

DAVID, age 81
David, age 81, an intermediate surgical risk patient eligible for TAVR

Intermediate surgical risk

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TAVR Patient

AS disease progression:
Severe AS, symptoms include fatigue and dyspnea upon exertion

AS disease progression:
Severe AS, symptoms include fatigue and dyspnea upon exertion

NYHA class: III

Frailty indicators: Passed 3 out of 4 with exception of grip test

Surgical risk score: 6%

Comorbidities: Diabetes, high blood pressure, and previous PCI. No other comorbidities.

QoL expectations: Semi-retired executive for an insurance company. Enjoys walking trails around his home and playing with his grandkids.

PATRICIA, age 88
Patricia, age 88, a high surgical risk patient eligible for TAVR

High surgical risk

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TAVR Patient

AS disease progression:
Severe AS, symptoms include reduced mobility and inability to walk short distances

AS disease progression:
Severe AS, symptoms include reduced mobility and inability to walk short distances

NYHA class: III

Frailty indicators: Failed 4 out of 4

Surgical risk score: 10%

Comorbidities: Oxygen-dependent COPD, hypertension, and previous pacemaker implantation due to sick sinus syndrome.

QoL expectations: Retired teacher, and requires assistance in daily life activities.

These are portrayals of typical TAVR patients and not real patients.

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

YOUR EVALUATION MATTERS

Use the SAS Patient Pathway Tool to help identify patients who are most suitable for treatment.

Download the SAS Patient Pathway Tool

Help your patients understand the differences between TAVR and SAVR

Using visual aids such as this side-by-side chart gives your patients with SAS a clearer understanding of their treatment options, while reinforcing their role in shared decision-making.

SAVR
TAVR

Available for all surgical risk patients (except prohibitive risk)3

OR

Available for severe, symptomatic calcific aortic stenosis patients, independent of surgical risk

More invasive procedure

OR

Less invasive procedure4

Requires sternotomy

OR

The most common approach is the transfemoral approach

Requires stopping the heart and connecting the patient to a blood-pumping machine

OR

Does not require stopping the heart

Requires general anesthesia

OR

May be performed using conscious sedation

On average, may take ~4 hours*

OR

On average, may take ~1 hour*4

With TAVR, most patients have a short recovery time and go home the next day

*The PARTNER 3 Trial, transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients with aortic stenosis.

Peer Perspectives:

Treating aortic stenosis at the right time

Video thumbnail of Antonio H. Frangieh, MD, an interventional cardiologist, discussing treating AS at the right time

“It really does negatively impact the patient when we wait to treat them.”

-
Antonio H. Frangieh, MD
Interventional Cardiologist

COMORBIDITIES... OR SYMPTOMS OF SAS?

Or is it their age and/or preexisting health conditions? Find out why comorbidities should not delay referrals.5

See comorbidity data
References: 1.Nkomo VT, Gardin JM, Skelton TN, et al. Burden of valvular heart diseases: a population-based study. Lancet. 2006;368(9540):1005-1011. 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. 3.Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, et al. 2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: Executive summary: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association joint committee on clinical practice guidelines. Circulation. 2021;143(5):e72-e227. 4.Cleveland Clinic. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Updated August 31, 2023. Accessed February 29, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17570-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr 5.Feldman DR, Romashko MD, Koethe B, et al. Comorbidity burden and adverse outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(10):e018978.

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