Why the study?
Does timely surgical correction benefit asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with valvular heart disease compared to watchful expectancy?
Does timely surgical correction benefit asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with valvular heart disease compared to watchful expectancy?
This review provides a focused update on guidelines for the timing of surgical intervention versus watchful expectancy in patients with valvular heart disease.
Updates guideline recommendations for valvular surgery timing; leaves open need for randomized validation in asymptomatic patients.
Valvular heart disease is a growing public health problem, with an increasing prevalence due to an ageing population. Despite advances, the medical management of symptomatic valvular heart diseases remains suboptimal, necessitating surgical correction. The challenge remains in identifying an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patient who will benefit from timely surgery before irreversible changes in cardiac function have occurred. The potential risks of surgery versus watchful expectancy require careful decision-making. This review is a focused update on the existing guidelines and identifies the knowledge gaps and avenues of future research in the management of patients with valvular heart diseases.
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Goel et al. (2009) studied this question.
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