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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Heart-Healthy Living

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Aortic valve stenosis — of any cause — can be a serious condition because it can weaken the heart. If the aortic valve is narrowed, the left ventricle has to work harder to pump a sufficient amount of blood into the aorta and onward to the rest of your body. In response, the left ventricle may thicken and enlarge. At first these adaptations help the left ventricle pump blood with more force. But eventually these changes weaken the left ventricle — and your heart overall.

Left unchecked, aortic valve stenosis can lead to life-threatening heart problems, including:

  • Chest pain (angina)
  • Fainting (syncope)
  • Heart failure
  • Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
  • Cardiac arrest
Preparing for your appointment Risk factors
References
  1. Aortic valve stenosis (AVS). American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/AboutCongenitalHeartDefects/Aortic-Valve-Stenosis-AVS_UCM_307020_Article.jsp. Accessed June 10, 2011.
  2. Rakel RE, et al. Valvular heart disease. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1160-8..10027-2--s0310&isbn=978-1-4377-1160-8&uniqId=258746827-3. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  3. Grimard BH, et al. Aortic stenosis: Diagnosis and treatment. American Family Physician. 2008;78:717.
  4. Aortic valve stenosis (AS) and aortic insufficiency (AI). American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadable/ucm_307649.pdf. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  5. Aortic stenosis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch076/ch076c.html. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  6. Otto CM, et al. Valvular Heart Disease. In: Bonow RO, et al. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0398-6..00066-4&isbn=978-1-4377-0398-6&uniqId=258746827-3#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0398-6..00066-4--s0060. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  7. How the healthy heart works. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/AboutCongenitalHeartDefects/How-the-Healthy-Heart-Works_UCM_307016_Article.jsp. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  8. Zigelman CZ, et al. Aortic Valve Stenosis. Anesthesiology Clinics. 2009;27:519.
  9. Carabello BA, et al. Aortic stenosis. In: Crawford MH. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Cardiology. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3646810&searchStr=aortic+valve+stenosis#3646810. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  10. Coeytaux RR, et al. Percutaneous heart valve replacement for aortic stenosis: State of the evidence. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2010;153:314.
  11. Smith CR, et al. Transcatheter versus surgical aortic-valve replacement in high-risk patients. New England Journal of Medicine. 2011;364:2187.
  12. Lockhart PB, et al. Poor oral hygiene as a risk factor for infective endocarditis-related bacteremia. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2009;140:1238.
DS00418 July 13, 2012

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