What is Aortic Valve Stenosis, and what should someone newly diagnosed know about it?
Aortic Valve Stenosis (also called aortic stenosis) is a condition where the valve controlling blood flow from your heart to the rest of your body becomes too narrow. This makes your heart work harder to pump blood through, which over Show Full Answer
What is Aortic Valve Stenosis, and what should someone newly diagnosed know about it?
Aortic Valve Stenosis (also called aortic stenosis) is a condition where the valve controlling blood flow from your heart to the rest of your body becomes too narrow. This makes your heart work harder to pump blood through, which over time can strain the heart.
It's one of the most common heart valve conditions, especially in adults over 65. More than 13% of Americans over 75 live with it. Common causes and risk factors include:
- Natural wear and tear with aging
- Calcium and fat deposits building up on the valve
- Being born with two valve flaps instead of three (bicuspid aortic valve)
- High blood pressure or high cholesterol
- Scarring from infection or inflammation Symptoms to watch for include:
- Shortness of breath, especially during activity
- Chest pain or tightness
- Dizziness or fainting
- Heart palpitations (fluttering or fast heartbeat)
As one MyHeartDiseaseTeam member shared, they described "the feeling that someone is sitting on my chest" — a sensation worth discussing with a doctor right away. How is it treated?
Treatment depends on how severe the condition is:
- Mild to moderate: Medications like blood pressure or cholesterol drugs may help manage symptoms
- Severe: A valve replacement procedure is often needed, either through open-heart surgery (SAVR) or a less invasive option called TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement)
The good news is that treatment advances are helping people live longer, healthier lives. Always work closely with a cardiologist to find the best plan for your specific situation.
July 23
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