Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology Position Statement on the Use of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in the Management of Aortic Stenosis

Abstract

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been established as an effective treatment modality in patients with severe aortic stenosis and the uptake of TAVI is rapidly growing in the Asia-Pacific region. However, there exists a heterogeneity in the management of aortic stenosis and the use of TAVI among countries in the region. Reasons for these differences include anatomical variations, disparity in healthcare resources and infrastructure and the lack of consensus on the optimal management of aortic stenosis in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence, an Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC) working group, including a multidisciplinary group of general and interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and imaging specialists, developed a position statement on the recommendations for TAVI in the management of aortic stenosis. The APSC expert panel reviewed and appraised the available evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. Recommendations were developed and put to an online vote. Consensus was reached when 80% of votes for a given recommendation were in support of ‘agree’ or ‘neutral.’ The resulting 28 statements provide guidance for clinical practitioners in the region on the use of TAVI in the treatment of patients with aortic stenosis.