What is aortic stenosis?
Aortic stenosis or aortic valve stenosis occurs when the aortic valve of the heart narrows. This narrowing causes the valve to not open fully, reducing or blocking blood flow from the heart to the body’s main artery (aorta) and to the rest of the body.
Prognosis of aortic stenosis
The prognosis is variable. The disorder may be mild and produce no symptoms, but over time the aortic valve may become narrower, causing more serious heart problems to develop, such as:
- Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter
- Blood clots in the brain (stroke), intestines, kidneys, or other areas.
- Fainting spells (syncope)
- Heart failure
- High blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)
The results of aortic valve replacement are often excellent.
Symptoms of aortic stenosis
In general, signs and symptoms of aortic valve stenosis occur when the narrowing of the valve is severe. Some people with aortic valve stenosis may not have symptoms for many years. Signs and symptoms of aortic valve stenosis may include:
- Abnormal heart sound (heart murmur).
- Chest pain (angina pectoris) or pressure with activity
- Feeling faint or lightheaded, or fainting with activity
- Shortness of breath, especially after physical activity
- Fatigue, especially during times of increased activity
- Palpitations
Medical tests for aortic stenosis
The diagnosis of aortic valve stenosis will be made by a specialist who will focus on evaluating the patient’s signs and symptoms, analyzing the patient’s medical history, and performing a physical examination, such as listening to the heart with a stethoscope to determine if there is a heart murmur indicating aortic valve disease.
Your doctor may order several tests to diagnose the disorder and determine its cause and severity. Some of the tests include:
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram
- Chest x-ray
- Exercise or stress tests
- Computed tomography scan of the heart
- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
- Cardiac catheterization
What are the causes of aortic stenosis?
There are several causes of aortic valve stiffness:
- Age is the most frequent.
- Valves with congenital defects (bicuspid valve).
- Rheumatic fever in childhood, among the most frequent.
Can it be prevented?
Some preventions that can be taken to avoid aortic valve stenosis are:
- Taking measures to avoid rheumatic fever.
- Addressing risk factors for coronary artery disease.
- Taking care of your teeth and gums.
Treatments for aortic stenosis
Treatment for aortic valve stenosis varies depending on the severity of the condition, whether you have signs and symptoms, and whether the condition worsens.
- Conservative treatment: If the patient has mild or no symptoms, the physician may monitor the condition through periodic follow-up visits. In addition, recommendations will be made for healthy lifestyle changes as well as medications to treat symptoms or reduce the risk of complications.
- Balloon Valvuloplasty: This surgery is used to repair a heart valve that has a narrowed opening. The procedure involves inserting a catheter into the heart and guiding it to the narrowed valve. The balloon is then inflated, thereby expanding the valve opening.
- Aortic valve replacement surgery: this surgery repairs or replaces the aortic valve and can be performed by different techniques:
- Traditional open heart surgery: the aortic valve is removed and replaced with a mechanical valve or a valve made from human, cow or pig heart tissue. It is also possible to replace the valve with biological tissue in which the pulmonary valve itself is used.
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): this technique is minimally invasive with a non-surgical approach through a blood vessel in the leg or a small incision in the chest. A catheter is inserted through the veins to the aortic valve. Once correctly positioned, a balloon-expandable or self-expanding replacement aortic valve is inserted.
What specialist treats you?
A physician trained in heart disease, i.e., a specialist in Cardiology, will be the right one for this pathology.