title: Caring for patients with prosthetic heart valves.
abstract: Patients with prosthetic heart valves require regular examinations and echocardiograms, antithrombotic therapy, and appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis against endocarditis. Physicians must also be on the alert for several uncommon but potentially devastating complications: valve structural failure, thrombosis, embolism, endocarditis, paravalvular leak, and hemolytic anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Monica S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bettadapur
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Craig R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Asher
mesh_terms: D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D005791:Patient Care