Stefanos Votsis* and Konstantinos Marmagkiolis
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a well-established and effective interventional treatment of aortic stenosis. We conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis based on prior documentation and present the demographic and hemodynamic characteristics of 298 patients who were TAVR candidates between 2014-2018 at a single center (Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA) with the aim to give a clear picture and better understand this population segment. While both sexes were equally represented, the vast majority of the patients were over 70 years old, and an actual 58% were over the age of 80. Moreover, the majority of the patients (64%) were considered high- or exceptional risk for Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR) according to their calculated Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk score. Pertaining to their hemodynamic parameters (calculated by preoperative transthoracic echocardiogram and including aortic valve transvalvular gradients) most patients had well-documented severe or moderate aortic stenosis, although their vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate) were well-adjusted with the appropriate pharmacotherapy. In conclusion, the overall profile of the TAVR candidate, for the time being, reflects an elderly patient with moderate or severe aortic stenosis, with a significant surgical risk albeit with well-regulated vital signs. As the TAVR indications keep expanding, this patient type might change as well in the not-so-distant future.
Published Date: 2026-03-06; Received Date: 2026-02-04
