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The Choice of Valve Prosthesis: Are the Guidelines for Everyone?

Saudi Arabia

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

In Asia, as in many parts of the world, a significant number of patients of various ages present with valvular heart disease requiring intervention. Considering the population of Asia, this number will be much greater than in the West. As the population is aging, the proportion with degenerative aortic and mitral valve disease is expected to rise. The prevalence of rheumatic fever remains high in many parts of Asia, ranging from 1.2 to 21 per 1,000, and many patients with valve disease are relatively young. Congenital cardiac defects are common, and these can involve the aortic and mitral valves. The result is patients with a very wide age range and spectrum of valvular heart disease, from the neonate and infant to the very old.

It is true that many valvular problems can be dealt with in the catheterization laboratory by cardiologists; nevertheless, surgery remains the main therapy at present. Many surgical options are available. The most appropriate procedure depends on multiple factors. There . . . [Full Text of this Article]