The effect of periprocedural beta blocker withdrawal on arrhythmic risk following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of periprocedural beta-blocker (BB) discontinuation among patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and high degree atrioventricular block (HD-AVB) and/or atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: The study population comprised 743 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR between 2009 and 2017 in two high-volume tertiary centers. All patients received chronic BB therapy, and were divided into two groups: (1) BB continuation and (2) BB discontinued 24 hr prior to the procedure. The primary endpoint was the development of composite brady and tachy-arrhytmic events (including HD-AVB and/or NOAF) following the procedure.

Results: Among 743 study patients, 366 (49%) continued BB prior to the procedure and in 377 (51%) chronic BB therapy was discontinued. The rate of the composite periprocedural arrhythmic event was significantly higher among patients who stopped BB (20% vs. 13%, respectively, P = 0.018). Consistently, multivariate analysis showed that discontinuation of BB was associated with two-fold (P = 0.003) increase in the risk for periprocedural arrhythmic events (OR = 2.0; 95% CI 1.24-3.23; P = 0.004). The association between BB discontinuation and periprocedural arrhythmic events was consistent for the separate endpoints for HDAV and NOAF. Furthermore, the need for permanent pacemaker was significantly higher among patients who discontinued BB (20% vs. 13%; P = 0.018, respectively).

Conclusions: Among patients undergoing TAVR who receive chronic BB therapy, BB discontinuation prior to the procedure is independently associated with a significant increase in the rate of adverse arrhythmic events, including HDAVB, NOAF, and the need for pacemaker implantation.