The Importance of International Normalized Ratio Monitoring in Patients With Mechanical Pulmonary Valve Prosthesis.

Background: The most challenging risk of mechanical valves is thromboembolic events; therefore, life-long anticoagulation therapy is necessary. Anticoagulation therapy should be adjusted for each patient with serial international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring. Due to the small number of patients with a mechanical valve in the pulmonary position, we are facing a lack of information about the therapeutic range of the INR in these patients.