Use our AS symptom tracker PDF to record your symptoms and frequency, and bring it to your next appointment to review with your doctor. Infants and children who have aortic stenosis due to a congenital defect may exhibit symptoms such as:. Watch an animation of aortic valve stenosis. In addition to the symptoms of aortic stenosis, which may cause a patient to feel faint, weak, or lethargic, the wall of the left ventricle also may show muscular thickening because the ventricle must work harder to pump blood through the narrow valve opening into the aorta.
The thickened wall takes up more space inside the lower heart chamber that allows less room for an adequate amount of blood to be supplied to the body. This may lead to heart failure. Appropriate treatment can help reverse or slow down the progress of this disease.
Aortic stenosis mainly affects older people as a result of scarring and calcium buildup in the valve cusp flap or fold. The most common cause of aortic stenosis in young people is a birth defect where only two cusps grow instead of the normal three.
Another cause may be that the valve opening doesn't grow along with the heart. This makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the restricted opening. Over the years the defective valve often becomes stiff and narrow because of calcium build-up. If there are no symptoms or if symptoms are mild, the best course of action could be regular follow up and monitoring to see if any symptoms develop or worsen.
However, anyone with aortic stenosis should be checked with an echocardiogram to determine treatment options. Possible treatments may include medications , valve repair or valve replacement. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff. This prevents the valve from opening or closing completely. Although the abnormality has been there since birth, symptoms may not be felt until adulthood. Your physician may be able to hear distinctive murmurs abnormal sounds that can be heard with a stethoscope when listening to your heart.
Acquired aortic valve disease occurs because your valve simply wears out over time, and usually happens as you age. Calcium collects on the valve and can cause the leaflets to stiffen and narrow, which limits their motion.
If the aorta—the main blood vessel coming out of the heart—is diseased, this also can lead to problems with the aortic valve. A faulty or failing aortic valve may cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and dizziness or loss of consciousness passing out. These symptoms are due to the heart having to work harder because of the narrowed or leaky valve. Early on, these symptoms may be noticeable only when exercising, but as the disease progresses, you could experience shortness of breath with minimal or no activity.
Some patients will be unable to sleep flat in bed or may awaken short of breath. Another potential symptom is swollen feet, particularly in the late afternoon or early evening. There is no one test that can diagnose aortic valve disease, so your doctor may recommend one or more of the following: electrocardiogram EKG , echocardiogram echo , chest x-ray, blood tests, and coronary angiography.
For more information on these tests, visit our common diagnostic tests page. Aortic stenosis can only be treated with aortic valve replacement. Sometimes, aortic valves that are leaking regurgitant can be repaired.
Your Heart Team—you, your medical team, and your cardiothoracic surgeon —will determine the best treatment option for you based on your symptoms and test results. You can print these sample questions to use as a basis for discussion with your doctor.
You also can access the STS Risk Calculator , which can help calculate your risk of death or other complications from open heart surgery. The results can help you and your doctor to determine the best course of treatment. Surgical aortic valve replacement SAVR , performed by a cardiothoracic surgeon, involves making an incision in the chest in order to get to the heart and aortic valve. The heart is stopped, during which time the blood pressure and oxygen levels are maintained with a heart-lung machine cardiopulmonary bypass.
The aorta is opened and the diseased valve removed. It is then replaced with an artificial valve prosthesis. There are two valve options for aortic valve replacement AVR — mechanical valves metal or biological valves tissue.
The principal advantage of mechanical valves is durability—they tend to last your lifetime. However, blood clots can form on mechanical valves, which can lead to stroke, so patients must take blood thinning medication anticoagulants for the rest of their lives. Being on blood thinners has a risk of bleeding and patients will have to have their blood levels checked regularly. Biological valves are most commonly made from animal tissue.
Tissue valves are less likely to cause blood clots, and do not require lifelong anticoagulants. However, they are less durable than mechanical valves and may need to be replaced during a patient's lifetime.
Your Heart Team will discuss with you the advantages and disadvantages of both valve types. Regardless of which valve you choose, there are two different surgical approaches that can be utilized: traditional AVR or minimally invasive. During traditional AVR, the cardiothoracic surgeon makes a 6- to 8-inch incision down the center of your breastbone sternum to open the chest, providing direct access to your heart. Aortic valve regurgitation Open pop-up dialog box Close.
Aortic valve regurgitation In aortic valve regurgitation, the aortic valve doesn't close properly, causing blood to flow backward from the body's main artery aorta into the lower left heart chamber left ventricle. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Chambers and valves of the heart Open pop-up dialog box Close. Chambers and valves of the heart A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers. Aortic valve stenosis Open pop-up dialog box Close.
Aortic valve stenosis In aortic valve stenosis, the aortic valve opening is narrowed top row. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Bonow RO, et al.
Aortic valve disease. Elsevier; Accessed Aug. Buji LM, et al. Valvular heart disease. In: Cardiovascular Pathology. Crawford MH, ed. Aortic stenosis. McGraw-Hill; Aortic regurgitation. Fuster V, et al. In: Hurst's the Heart. Heart-healthy lifestyle changes. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Heart valve disease. Otto CM, et al.
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