Heart Disease Information/Causes and Risk Factors

Is Severe Aortic Stenosis Hereditary? Causes and Risk Factors

Medically reviewed by Vedran Radonić, M.D., Ph.D.

Written by Maureen McNulty

Updated on September 8, 2026

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Key Takeaways

A diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis can feel overwhelming, but understanding where it comes from can help you and your family feel more prepared.

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A diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis may come as a surprise. You may wonder where this disease came from and what it means for your family. Why did it develop? Are your siblings or children at risk, too?

If you’re wondering, “Is aortic stenosis hereditary?” the answer is not always. Many cases are related to aging and changes that happen over time, but some heart valve problems can run in families.

Read on to learn more about the factors, genetic and otherwise, that can lead to severe aortic stenosis.

🗳️ Does aortic stenosis run in your family?

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What Is Aortic Stenosis?

Aortic stenosis develops when the aortic valve becomes too narrow, which limits blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta. The left ventricle is the heart chamber that pumps blood to the rest of the body.

When the heart beats, the aortic valve opens so blood can leave the heart. If the valve is narrowed, blood can’t flow through as easily. As a result, the heart has to work harder to pump blood.

What Causes Aortic Stenosis To Become Severe?

Left untreated, aortic stenosis can get worse over time. It may progress from mild to moderate to severe disease. Your heart muscle may gradually get thicker, which can affect how well it fills and pumps blood.

Eventually, aortic stenosis may lead to heart failure. You can also read more about heart failure symptoms.

Your aortic valve stenosis may be more likely to get worse quickly if you have certain aortic stenosis risk factors. These include older age, severe valve calcification, hypertension, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, and higher lipoprotein(a) levels.

Risk Factors for Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis can develop for different reasons. Some are inherited or present at birth. Others develop later in life.

Talk to your doctor about your aortic stenosis risk factors, as well as your family medical history of heart disease.

Aging

The most common cause is age-related calcium buildup on the aortic valve. Aortic stenosis often begins after age 60, but symptoms may not appear until a person is in their 70s or 80s.

Congenital Heart Condition

Some people are born with differences in the structure of their aortic valve. These are called congenital heart defects and can increase the risk of aortic stenosis.

Most people have three cusps, or flaps, in their aortic valve. Some people are born with only two. This is called bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and it tends to run in families. Over time, the valve may become harder to open or leakier.

If you have a bicuspid aortic valve, your doctor may recommend that your parents, siblings, and children get an echocardiogram. This test uses sound waves to look at the heart. It can check for BAV and changes in the aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart.

Genetic testing isn’t needed for everyone with BAV. Your doctor may recommend genetic counseling or testing if you have signs of another inherited condition that affects the aorta.

Infection

In some cases, aortic stenosis can happen after infective endocarditis. Endocarditis is an infection of the heart’s inner lining that most often affects the heart valves.

Endocarditis happens when germs enter the bloodstream and travel to the heart. Germs can enter the bloodstream through poor dental health, dental procedures, skin infections or burns, other infections, or IV drug use. Over time, endocarditis can damage heart valves.

Doctors usually treat endocarditis with IV antibiotics. In some cases, surgery may be needed.

Rheumatic Fever

Rheumatic fever can also damage heart valves. It can develop after untreated strep throat, and treating strep throat with prescribed medicine helps prevent rheumatic fever, which can damage the heart valves.

If you had rheumatic fever when you were younger, you may develop aortic stenosis later in life if the condition damaged your aortic valve.

Other Conditions

You may also develop severe aortic stenosis as a result of other medical conditions. These include:

Lupus — Aortic stenosis can be linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.
Fabry disease — Fabry disease is an inherited disorder that causes a type of fat to build up in the body’s cells.
Alkaptonuria — Alkaptonuria is an inherited condition that can cause arthritis, kidney stones, dark pigment spots, and dark urine.
Ochronosis — Ochronosis is a buildup of dark pigment seen in alkaptonuria.

Can Severe Aortic Stenosis Be Prevented?

Because aortic stenosis can be caused by aging and congenital heart defects, it can’t always be prevented. Still, you may be able to lower the risk of some acquired causes of heart valve disease.

Taking care of your teeth, treating infections, and making heart-healthy lifestyle changes can support overall cardiovascular health. These steps don’t treat, reverse, or guarantee prevention of severe aortic stenosis.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Good oral health may help lower the risk of endocarditis. If you are at higher risk, prevention may include maintaining good oral and dental health, getting regular dental care, brushing, and flossing.

Preventive antibiotics before certain dental procedures are recommended only for a relatively small subset of people at highest risk for serious outcomes from endocarditis. Ask your cardiologist or dentist if this applies to you.

Get Treated for Strep Throat

Because strep throat can turn into rheumatic fever and damage the heart, it’s important to get proper treatment if you develop this infection.

Talk to your doctor if you think you or your child may have strep throat. If you have strep throat, finishing the prescribed course of medicine helps prevent rheumatic fever.

Embrace Heart-Healthy Habits

Heart-healthy habits are not a cure for aortic stenosis. However, your doctor may talk to you about steps to lower your risk for acquired heart valve disease, including heart-healthy lifestyle changes.

These may include eating a heart-healthy diet, being physically active, aiming for a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and managing stress. Talk with your doctor before changing your activity level, especially if you have symptoms of severe aortic stenosis.

If you already have severe aortic stenosis, ask your healthcare team about monitoring and treatment. Depending on your symptoms and valve severity, treatment may include regular checkups, medications, valve repair, or valve replacement.