Kevin L Thomas, Larry R Jackson, Peter Shrader, Jack Ansell, Gregg C Fonarow, Bernard Gersh, Peter R Kowey, Kenneth W Mahaffey, Daniel E Singer, Laine Thomas, Jonathan P Piccini, Eric D Peterson
BACKGROUND: The presence of valvular heart disease (VHD) may affect the risk of stroke and mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Community-based estimates of prevalence and outcomes of specific forms of VHD in patients with AF are lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined the prevalence of VHD, anticoagulation use, mortality, stroke/transient ischemic attack, and bleeding among a community cohort of patients with AF. Significant VHD was defined as follows: (1) moderate/severe mitral stenosis or mechanical valve; (2) bioprosthetic valve, surgical repair, or balloon valvuloplasty; and (3) moderate/severe aortic regurgitation or stenosis, mitral regurgitation, or tricuspid regurgitation...
December 22, 2017: Journal of the American Heart Association