Stenosis of the Aortic Valve: Causes, Signs, Treatment, Q&A

Aortic valve stenosis has recently been fixed more and more often. Lifestyle, unhealthy diet, lack of sufficient cardio exercise in youth-all this leaves an imprint on the work of the heart. Let’s analyze the questions: what is Aortic valve stenosis, what are its symptoms, what causes aortic valve stenosis and how medicine helps patients with this disease.

Aortic valve stenosis – or aortic stenosis – happens when the heart’s aortic valve narrows. This constricting prevents the valve from opening totally, which decreases or blocks blood circulation from your heart into the primary artery to your body (aorta) and onward to the rest of your body.

When the blood circulation through the aortic valve is lowered or blocked, your heart needs to work harder to pump blood to your body. Ultimately, this additional work limits the amount of blood it can pump, and this can cause symptoms in addition to potentially deteriorate your heart muscle.

Your treatment depends upon the intensity of your condition. You might require surgery to fix or change the valve. Left neglected, aortic valve stenosis can lead to serious heart issues.

What Triggers Aortic Valve Stenosis?

Problems that can trigger aortic valve stenosis include:

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Calcium buildup on the aortic valve. As you age, calcium can develop on the valve, making it hard and thick. This buildup takes place in time, so symptoms typically do not appear until after age 65.

A heart flaw you were born with (genetic).
Rheumatic fever or endocarditis. These infections can harm the valve.

Symptoms of Aortic Valve Stenosis

Aortic valve stenosis varies from mild to severe. Aortic valve stenosis signs and symptoms normally establish when constricting of the valve is extreme. Some individuals with aortic valve stenosis might not experience symptoms for several years. Signs and symptoms of aortic valve stenosis might consist of:

Irregular heart noise (heart murmur) heard through a stethoscope
Chest pain (angina) or tightness with activity
Feeling faint or woozy or passing out with activity

Shortness of breath, especially when you have been active
Tiredness, specifically throughout times of increased activity
Heart palpitations — experiences of a rapid, fluttering heartbeat

Not eating enough (generally in children with aortic valve stenosis).
Not getting enough weight (generally in kids with aortic valve stenosis).

The heart-weakening effects of aortic valve stenosis may cause heart failure. Heart failure symptoms and signs include tiredness, shortness of breath, and swollen ankles and feet.

Diagnosis of Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis (AS) is normally detected first at a routine exam. According to National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus low blood pressure might be a symptom of aortic stenosis; if you are hypotensive, your physician may suspect valve disease. Utilizing a stethoscope, your physician can identify a hurrying noise attribute of a restricted aortic valve. If this murmur is discovered, further tests might be bought to confirm the medical diagnosis.

How to Recognize Cardiovascular Problems

The Mayo Clinic describes a variety of tests used to diagnose aortic stenosis consisting of:

X-ray images permit the medical professional to see if part of the heart is enlarged and/or see calcium deposits on the aortic valve

Small tubes (catheters) are threaded from the groin to your heart where they can determine blood flow and pressure across the aortic valves
Electrodes placed on the skin step electrical impulses, which might indicate if the left ventricular wall is thickened or enlarged (a common outcome of aortic stenosis).
MRI develops a detailed image of the heart and its structures, enabling physicians to determine the size of the aorta.

Cardiac catheterization (angiography).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Ultrasound waves are used to create pictures of structures in the heart, allowing doctors to see the aortic valve as it opens and closes.

Chest X-ray.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
Stress testing may be purchased for individuals who do not experience symptoms related to aortic stenosis as a method to evaluate their activity tolerance.

Exercise stress screening.
Echocardiogram.

Other diagnostic tests consist of transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) and computerized tomography (CT) scan.

Doctors will normally try to verify a medical diagnosis of aortic stenosis utilizing the least intrusive approaches first. Nevertheless, if images are undetermined or other aspects, like vessel health, require to be investigated, further screening may be bought.

What Are the Treatments for Aortic Stenosis?

The treatment plan for your aortic stenosis depends on how severe your condition is.

If your case is moderate or moderate, your medical professional might decide to keep an eye on how you’re doing for a while. You’ll get routine checkups and echocardiograms. You might hear this called “watchful waiting,” and even if your stenosis is serious, your physician might advise it if you have no symptoms.

Your doctor will probably encourage you to make changes to enhance your overall heart health. Those shifts might consist of:

Tweaking your diet to make it healthier
Dealing with weight loss, if needed

Stopping smoking
Managing your stress
Working out, depending upon your symptoms

Medications

No tablet can cure or perhaps enhance your aortic stenosis. However there are some medications that might help you control your symptoms and lower the possibility of having particular issues.

Pericardial Effusion

Amongst the medicines your medical professional might prescribe are:

ACE inhibitors, which can open capillary more completely

Medicines that tame heart rhythm problems
Beta-blockers, which slow your heart rate
Diuretics (” water tablets”), which reduce the amount of fluid in your body and ease stress on your heart

You and your medical professional will most likely likewise discuss whether you need to take aspirin every day and whether you require to take statins, which are meds that lower your LDL (” bad”) cholesterol. They have some benefits for your overall heart health but – like all medications – come with threats too.

Procedures

If your aortic stenosis requires more aggressive treatment, you may have choices. Some procedures repair your malfunctioning valve. Others replace it.

Balloon valvuloplasty aims to fix your heart’s malfunctioning valve. The medical professional guides a versatile, thin tube tipped with a deflated balloon through a cut in your groin into an artery and up to your heart. Once it’s there, the balloon pumps up so that it can extend the narrowed valve. Then the balloon deflates and comes out, in addition to the catheter.

The effect doesn’t last forever, so physicians do not utilize this treatment very frequently. It may be best for kids, for individuals who aren’t well enough to have major surgery, or for those who are waiting for another operation.

Aortic Valve Replacement Options

Sometimes the very best choice is to eliminate the faulty valve and replace it. Your replacement valve might be mechanical, or it might be tissue from cows or people.

Both options have advantages and disadvantages. Manufactured valves last longer, however you’ll require to take blood-thinning medicines for the rest of your life. Biological valves should be replaced after 10 or 15 years. Your doctor can help you weigh your choices.

A more recent technique enables you to get a fresh valve without open-heart surgery. It’s called transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. It’s a little like balloon valvuloplasty, due to the fact that it utilizes a catheter threaded into an artery to your heart. The catheter can go through your groin (your medical professional will call this transfemoral) or your chest (transapical).

The catheter brings a deflated balloon and your replacement valve, folded, on the pointer. The physician guides the new valve into place and then inflates the balloon. This opens your replacement valve and makes it in shape snugly inside your old, damaged valve. The balloon deflates, then the physician removes it and the catheter.

How to Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Another variation of this procedure uses a valve that can expand on its own, making the balloon unnecessary. Doctors likewise can utilize TAVR in some cases if you’ve currently had valve replacement however the valve has actually broken. That’s called a valve-in-valve procedure.

Your medical professional may recommend TAVR if your stenosis is severe and open-heart surgery is specifically risky for you. It does include a higher chance of particular issues like stroke. It’s fairly new and still progressing.

Questions & Answers

The most popular and interesting questions on the topic of aortic valve stenosis will be covered in short answers. To see the answer, click on the question that is hidden in the spoiler.

Is aortic stenosis life threatening?

Aortic stenosis is a deadly disease. As soon as patients with extreme aortic stenosis establish symptoms connected to their valve disease, these patients have a survival rate as low as 50% at 2 years and 20% at 5 years without aortic valve replacement.

Can aortic stenosis be treated with medication?

No tablet can cure or perhaps enhance your aortic stenosis. But there are some medications that might assist you manage your symptoms and lower the chance of having certain complications. Among the medications your medical professional might recommend are: ACE inhibitors, which can open blood vessels more fully.

Can you reverse aortic valve stenosis?

Valve replacement can reverse the results of aortic stenosis, alleviate symptoms and return life expectancy to normal. Sadly, that alternative was closed to 40-60 percent of patients since they were considered too old or frail to hold up against conventional open heart surgery.

What foods to avoid if you have aortic stenosis?

Eat a range of fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy items, poultry, fish, and entire grains. Avoid saturated and trans fat, and excess salt and sugar.

What are the end stages of aortic stenosis?

If left unattended, extreme aortic stenosis can lead to cardiac arrest. Extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, and swelling of your ankles and feet are all signs of this. It can likewise cause heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) and even abrupt cardiac death.

Is exercise good for aortic stenosis?

Exercising is good for your heart, even if you have aortic stenosis. First, talk to your physician about what’s OK to do. Ask if there are any exercise you need to prevent. You’ll also would like to know how long your heart rate can securely be raised and if you need to track how high it gets throughout an exercise.