Description of the Disease
Aortic stenosis is a condition that can be both congenital and acquired heart defect. In this condition, the leaflets of the aortic valve, located at the exit from the left ventricle into the aorta, fuse together. As a result, the mobility of the leaflets during opening and closing is sharply limited, obstructing the normal flow of blood through the valve. Consequently, there is blood stasis in the left ventricle and insufficient blood supply to all organs.
Learn More about Heart DefectsCause of the Disease
The causes of acquired defect may include: Paget's disease; calcinosis (calcification) of the aortic valve; infectious endocarditis; atherosclerosis of the aorta; systemic lupus erythematosus; rheumatism, and others.
Congenital aortic stenosis is observed with congenital narrowing of the aortic orifice or developmental anomaly - bicuspid aortic valve. Congenital aortic valve defect usually manifests before the age of 30; acquired - at a later age (usually after 60 years).
Symptoms of the Disease
The main complaints with this pathology are dizziness, darkening in the eyes, weakness, increased fatigue, which are caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Other symptoms may include oppressive chest pain and shortness of breath, caused by insufficient blood supply to the myocardium of the heart.
Diagnostics of the Disease
When the above symptoms appear, it is necessary to see a cardiologist. One of the specific and common methods for diagnosing aortic stenosis is echocardiography.
This ultrasound diagnostic method allows not only to detect the presence of this disease but also to determine the degree of its severity, the degree of blood stasis in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), and also to assess operability.
Treatment of the Disease
Treatment of aortic stenosis can be done in two ways:
1. Conservative Treatment
A complex of measures aimed at changing lifestyle and taking medications aimed at reducing clinical manifestations and slowing the progression of the disease.
2. Surgical Treatment
Surgical intervention, the goal of which is to restore normal blood flow through the narrowed aortic opening and thereby provide sufficient blood supply to all organs. The essence of the operation is to replace the altered, poorly functioning valve with a mechanical or biological prosthesis.
In elderly and senile age, it is possible to perform an operation without incisions using the method of valve stenting through a puncture of the femoral artery.
Prognosis of the Treatment
In case of the natural course of the disease (without treatment), aortic stenosis can quickly lead to patient disability. In advanced cases, aortic stenosis is complicated by myocardial infarction or stroke, which can lead to patient death.
With the appearance of symptoms of severe heart failure, the average life expectancy does not exceed 1 year. And in the absence of surgical intervention, mortality within 2 years reaches 80%. Therefore, if you experience the symptoms described above, be sure to call our specialists for detailed consultation.