Determinants of Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Degeneration.

On the basis of echocardiography, every fifth patient developed VHD after surgical bioprosthetic heart valve replacement. VHD was associated with renal impairment, the use of porcine tissue valves, arterial hypertension, and patient-prosthesis mismatch. Patients younger than 70 years were not affected by faster VHD.