Continuation vs. Interruption of Oral Anticoagulation during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

The POPular PAUSE TAVI trial investigated whether continuing or interrupting oral anticoagulation during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) affected clinical outcomes. The randomized, open-label, noninferiority study included 858 patients and assessed a composite primary outcome of cardiovascular death, stroke, myocardial infarction, major vascular complications, or major bleeding at 30 days. The trial found that continuation was not noninferior to interruption, with higher bleeding risk but no significant difference in thromboembolic events, supporting interruption of anticoagulation in high-bleeding-risk TAVI patients.