[Antithrombotic therapy after heart valve surgery--current evidence and future trends].

Degenerative valve disease is a growing problem because of the rising amount of degenerative heart valve disease and valve replacement operations among the elderly. More than 300,000 prosthetic heart valve replacements are performed each year worldwide and this rate is projected to increase to as many as 850,000 per year by 2050. There is a higher risk of thomboembolic events following heart valve surgery; and anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies are necessary. The drug therapy selection depends on the type of surgery performed and the individual risk of the patient in any given situation. This article review assesses the benefit and risks of various therapy schemes as recommended by the Czech, European and American Associations of Cardiologists and Cardiosurgeons.