Medications during follow-up periods
As for medications for patients after SAVR, warfarin was used for
anticoagulation in patients with mechanical valves at doses adjusted to
achieve target international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.6–2.6 in older
people (≥70 years of age) and 2.0–3.0 in younger people (<70
years of age). Antiplatelet drugs were used in patients with biological
valves. The use of other medications, including beta-blockers,
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin-II
receptor blockers (ARBs), and other anti-arrhythmia drugs was at the
discretion of the primary outpatient doctors. Amiodarone was used for
sporadic non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) detected by Holter
electrocardiogram (ECG).