title: Low-dose oral anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy with St. Jude Medical heart valve prosthesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since 1986, the St. Jude Medical (SJM) mechanical heart valve prosthesis has been implanted in patients at the authors' institution. We present our experience of low-dose oral anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy following SJM valve implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 2,585 patients (mean age 40.3 +/- 13.5 years) living in a rural environment, 865 underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR), 1,231 mitral valve replacement (MVR) and 489 double valve replacement (DVR). All patients received 2.5 mg/day warfarin and a combination of antiaggregation therapy (dypridamole 3 x 75 mg/day plus aspirin 100 mg/day), irrespective of their prothrombin time and cardiac rhythm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperatively, 139 adverse events occurred (51 in AVR patients, 58 in MVR, 30 in DVR). Operative mortality rate was 5.9%, 4.7% and 6.1%, respectively, in the three groups (overall mortality rate 5.4%). The most frequent cause of operative mortality was low cardiac output. During follow up, there were 88 anticoagulant hemorrhages (1.2%/patient-year (pt-yr)), 11 paravalvular leaks (0.2%/pt-yr), 52 thromboembolisms (0.7%/pt-yr), 60 mechanical valve thromboses (0.8%/pt-yr) and 78 reoperations (1.1%/pt-yr). These complications occurred in 101 patients after AVR, in 125 after MVR, and in 63 after DVR (4.2%, 3.7% and 4.6% per pt-yr, respectively). Patient age (p = 0.0004), concomitant surgery (p = 0.0017) and late valve-related complications (p = 0.0159) were statistically significant mortality factors after AVR. Previous surgery was a significant risk factor for operative mortality after MVR (p <0.05). Female gender (p = 0.0059) and age (p = 0.017) were significant risk factors for operative mortality after DVR (p <0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Following implantation of the St. Jude Medical mechanical heart valve prosthesis, a fixed dose of 2.5 mg/day warfarin and combined dipyridamole/aspirin provided satisfactory results in terms of thrombosis, embolism and bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yamak
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iscan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mavitas
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ulus
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Katircioglu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tasdemir
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bayazit
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014859:Warfarin; D004176:Dipyridamole; D001241:Aspirin