Thromboprophylaxis in high-risk patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis: Conventional versus lower INR target with adjuvant antiplatelet therapy

Abstract

Lifelong oral anticoagulation is recommended for all patients with mechanical heart valves irrespective of valve type or date of introduction and is essential for the prevention of thromboembolic events However, Oral anticoagulation bears the problem of bleeding disorders and its diminished effect in the given clinical situation could lead to a thromboembolic episode. Regarding the complications rate our study showed that there was no bleeding events in 53.2% of the patients in cases group while it was 41.5% in the control group. There was bleeding required outpatient medical care in 4.9% and bleeding required transfusion or inpatient medical care in 0.3% in the cases group compared to 12.1% and 0.3% of the patients in the control group with a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups