AORTIC STENOSIS: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT METHODS

What is aortic stenosis?

Your aortic valve regulates the flow of blood from the lower left chamber of the heart (the left ventricle) into the aorta (the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the body). Aortic stenosis occurs when this valve narrows, preventing normal blood flow. The condition can range from mild to severe.

Over time, aortic valve stenosis forces the left ventricle of the heart to work harder to push blood through the narrowed aortic valve. These extra efforts can lead to thickening, enlargement, and weakening of the left ventricle. If left untreated, this heart defect can eventually result in heart failure.

Causes of aortic valve stenosis

Aortic stenosis can be congenital, but more often, it is an acquired condition, typically resulting from a degenerative process and less frequently as a consequence of rheumatic heart disease. The most common cause of aortic stenosis is a degenerative process that leads to the calcification of the valve leaflets, starting at their base and gradually covering their entire surface.

Risk factors for developing degenerative changes in the aortic valve leaflets include:

• Male gender
• Aging
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Lipid disorders
• Chronic kidney disease
• Hypercalcemia
• Smoking
• Excess weight Smoking.

Due to the widespread availability of medical care in developed countries, including treatment in treatment in Switzerlandearly implementation of antibiotic therapy for streptococcal pharyngitis, rheumatic heart disease is rare, and valve defects of this etiology are uncommon. In this case, the mechanism of their formation involves the fusion of connective elements of the leaflets, their scarring, and ultimately, as in degenerative lesions, calcification.

Among congenital aortic valve defects, bicuspid aortic valve is the most common. Due to its structure, it undergoes degenerative processes faster than the tricuspid valve, leading to progressive calcification.

Aortic stenosis symptoms

Aortic stenosis

may not cause symptoms for many years (it can be asymptomatic). Therefore, the disease, which can be congenital, is often diagnosed at a young age. Symptoms of aortic stenosis may appear later, over many years. The onset of symptoms can be sudden or gradua

Patients may experience the following symptoms related to aortic stenosis and its consequences:

• Chest pain, caused by myocardial ischemia
• Rapid heart rate, caused by rhythm disturbances and impaired impulse conduction in the hypertrophied heart muscle
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness
• Pre-syncope or syncope (fainting), caused by reduced cardiac output through the narrowed valve and conduction blockages
• Dyspnea (shortness of breath) during physical activity and at rest, in advanced cases
• Difficulty breathing, occurring after physical exertion
• Cough that worsens at night
• Episodes of loss of consciousness
• General fatigue

 

Aortic stenosis treatment

Aortic stenosis

 ecan develop over many years and remain asymptomatic for a long time. However, the appearance of the first symptoms (rapid heartbeat, angina, fainting) significantly worsens the prognosis for the patient (survival from symptom onset is approximately 2-3 years). Therefore, symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis require immediate surgical treatmnt, including valve replacement.

The treatment of choice is a surgical intervention. Two main surgical procedures are used for aortic stenosis: .

• Balloon valBalloon valvuloplastyvuloplasty A catheter is inserted into a blood vessel through a groin incision and advanced to the heart. The catheter tip is placed in the aortic valve and a balloon is inflated. This helps stretch and expand the valve, improving blood flow into the aorta. This procedure does not cure the disease, and further surgical treatment may be needed in later life. It is typically limited to individuals with congenital aortic stenosis, primarily children and teenagers.
• A more radical approach is aortic valve replacement: : If the valve is too damaged, it can be replaced surgically with an artificial valve. Sometimes, a human pulmonary valve may be used. This procedure is known as pulmonary autotransplantation or the Ross procedure.