What is Aortic valve stenosis or aortic stenosis？

Aortic valve stenosis

It is a type of heart valve disease (valvular heart disease). The valve between the lower left heart chamber and the body's main artery (aorta) is narrowed and doesn't open fully. This reduces or blocks blood flow from the heart to the aorta and to the rest of the body.

Treatment of aortic stenosis depends on the severity of the condition. You may need surgery to repair or replace the valve. Without treatment, severe aortic valve stenosis can lead to death.

Aortic valve stenosis ranges from mild to severe. Symptoms generally occur when narrowing of the valve is severe. Some people with aortic valve stenosis may not have symptoms for many years.

Symptoms of aortic valve stenosis may include:

*An irregular heart sound (heart murmur) heard through a stethoscope

*Chest pain (angina) or tightness with activity

*Feeling faint or dizzy or fainting with activity

*Shortness of breath, especially with activity

*Fatigue, especially during times of increased activity

*Rapid, fluttering heartbeat (palpitations)

*Not eating enough (mainly in children with aortic valve stenosis)

*Not gaining enough weight (mainly in children with aortic valve stenosis)

Aortic valve stenosis may lead to heart failure. Heart failure symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, and swollen ankles and feet.If you develop symptoms that may suggest aortic valve stenosis, make an appointment with your health care provider.

Each valve has flaps (cusps or leaflets) that open and close once during each heartbeat. Sometimes, the valves don't open or close properly. If a valve doesn't fully open or close, blood flow is reduced or blocked. In aortic valve stenosis, the valve between the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) and the aorta does not open completely. The area through which blood moves out of the heart to the aorta is narrowed (stenosis).

Aortic valve stenosis causes include:

*Congenital heart defect. Some children are born with an aortic valve that has only two cusps (bicuspid aortic valve) instead of three (tricuspid aortic valve). Rarely, an aortic valve may have one (unicuspid) or four (quadricuspid) cusps. Having a congenital heart defect such as a bicuspid aortic valve requires regular medical checkups. The valve condition may not cause any problems until adulthood. If the valve begins to narrow or leak, it may need to be repaired or replaced.

*Calcium buildup on the valve (aortic valve calcification). Calcium is a mineral found in the blood. As blood repeatedly flows over the aortic valve, calcium deposits can build up on the heart valves. The calcium deposits may never cause any problems. Aortic valve stenosis that's related to increasing age and calcium deposit buildup usually doesn't cause symptoms until age 70 or 80. However, in some people — particularly those with congenital aortic valve defects — calcium deposits result in stiffening of the valve cusps at a younger age.

*Rheumatic fever. This complication of untreated strep throat can damage the heart valves. It may cause scar tissue to form on the aortic valve. Scar tissue can narrow the aortic valve opening or create a rough surface on which calcium deposits can collect. Rheumatic fever may damage more than one heart valve, and in more than one way. While rheumatic fever is rare in the United States, some older adults had rheumatic fever as children.