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Indications for echocardiography of replacement heart valves: a joint statement from the British Heart Valve Society and British Society of Echocardiography

Echo Research & Practice volume 6, pages G10–G16 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Echocardiography plays a vital role in the follow-up of patients with replacement heart valves. However, there is considerable variation in international guidelines regarding the recommended time points after implantation at which routine echocardiography should be performed. The purpose of routine echocardiography is to detect early structural valve deterioration in biological valves to improve the timing of redo interventions. However, the risk of valve deterioration depends on many valve-related factors (valve design and patient prosthesis mismatch) and patient-related factors (age, diabetes, systemic hypertension, renal dysfunction and smoking). In this statement, the British Heart Valve Society and the British Society of Echocardiography suggest practical guidance. A plan should be made soon after implantation, but this may need to be modified for individual patients and as circumstances change. It is important that patients are managed in a multidisciplinary valve clinic.

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This work did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, London, UK

    John B. Chambers MD FACC FESC

  2. King's Health Partners, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Madalina Garbi MD MA

  3. Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK

    Norman Briffa MB MD FRCS

  4. Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals, Liverpool, UK

    Vishal Sharma MD

  5. University of Birmingham Hospitals, Birmingham, UK

    Richard P. Steeds MA MD FRCP

Authors
  1. John B. Chambers MD FACC FESC
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  2. Madalina Garbi MD MA
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  3. Norman Briffa MB MD FRCS
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  4. Vishal Sharma MD
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  5. Richard P. Steeds MA MD FRCP
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Correspondence to John B. Chambers MD FACC FESC.

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J Chambers, V Sharma and R Steeds are members of the editorial board of Echo Research and Practice. They were not involved in the review or editorial process for this paper, on which they are listed as authors

(V Sharma is the Guidelines Chair)

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Chambers, J.B., Garbi, M., Briffa, N. et al. Indications for echocardiography of replacement heart valves: a joint statement from the British Heart Valve Society and British Society of Echocardiography. Echo Res Pract 6, G10–G16 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1530/ERP-18-0079

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/ERP-18-0079

Key Words

  • valve replacement
  • echocardiography
  • valve clinic
  • structural valve deterioration

Echo Research & Practice

ISSN: 2055-0464