New research reveals that women face a significantly greater risk of stroke after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) compared to men, primarily driven by disabling strokes.
Analyzing nearly 380,000 TAVR cases from 2016 to 2021, researchers found stroke rates of 2.31% in women versus 1.69% in men. Disabling strokes occurred in 1.61% of women and 1.02% of men. Women in the study were slightly older on average and more often had obesity, while men showed more histories of coronary artery disease and related conditions.
The authors emphasized the need for clinicians to counsel female patients on their elevated stroke risk and suggested that tailored procedural strategies—such as embolic protection devices—may help mitigate this risk.
Further research is needed to understand the anatomical and procedural factors behind this sex disparity and to develop targeted prevention approaches.
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