Clopidogrel pretreatment may reduce early acquired thrombocytopenia after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)

Key Points Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) causes early acquired thrombocytopenia on postoperative Days 1 and 2 in 30–50% of patients. While usually transient and rarely severe, early acquired thrombocytopenia is strongly associated with 30‐day and 1‐year post‐TAVR outcomes, including mortality. Observation from a prospective registry suggests pretreatment with the P2Y 12 receptor inhibitor clopidogrel before TAVR reduces the frequency and magnitude of early acquired thrombocytopenia. If a protective effect of clopidogrel pretreatment on early thrombocytopenia can be confirmed, then further study to determine if this translates into improved TAVR outcomes is warranted.