One in three Australians undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation miss out on guideline-recommended antithrombotic therapy post-discharge, a study shows.

Sydney researchers say local rates of antithrombotic use following the procedure appear to be lower than those reported internationally, with significant room for improvement.

“The development of Australian-specific guidelines may also be necessary to improve evidence-based prescribing and better influence practice,” the UNSW Sydney and Prince of Wales Hospital-led team concluded.

Writing in Heart, Lung and Circulation, the authors reported findings from a retrospective cohort study for all patients receiving transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in NSW from 2013-18.