Abstract
Nowadays, age-related degenerative etiologies have largely replaced the rheumatic ones and as a natural result of this etiologic change, coronary artery disease has become associated with valvular heart disease to a greater extent. Degenerative aortic valve disease has an important pathophysiological similarity to atherosclerosis and is the leader in this association. There is a general consensus that severely stenotic aortic valve should be replaced during bypass surgery for severe coronary artery disease. For moderate degree aortic stenosis, aortic valve replacement is usually performed during coronary bypass surgery. Ischemic mitral regurgitation has recently received great attention from both diagnostic and therapeutic points of view. Ischemic mitral regurgitation significantly alters the prognosis of the patient with coronary artery disease. Severe ischemic mitral regurgitation should be corrected during coronary bypass surgery and mitral valve repair should be preferred to valve replacement. For moderate degree ischemic mitral regurgitation, many authors prefer valve surgery with coronary bypass surgery. In this review, the main characteristics of patients with coronary artery disease accompanying valvular heart disease and the therapeutic options based on individual valve pathology are discussed.