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

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 P2Y12 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.