DuBois- As people age, a buildup of calcium on the aortic valve can make it thicker and stiffer leading to aortic stenosis. In addition, congenital heart defects, rheumatic fever, bacterial infections of the heart valves, radiation therapy and high blood pressure can also cause this serious condition. If left untreated, aortic stenosis can lead to heart failure.
“The aortic valve is a stop valve that allows blood to be pumped to the rest of the body,” explained Forozan Navid, MD, a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon at Penn Highlands Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery in DuBois. “When the valve stops working properly, valve repair or replacement is needed.”
What are the symptoms?
According to the American Heart Association, many people with aortic stenosis do not experience any noticeable symptoms until the amount of restricted blood flow becomes greatly reduced. When symptoms do become present, they may include:
- Fatigue
- Heart palpitations
- Swelling of the feet, ankles or lower legs
- Chest pain that feels like squeezing, pressure or discomfort that can extend to the neck, jaw, arm or abdomen
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
“Depending on the individual, aortic valve stenosis can progress slowly over several years,” said Dr. Navid. “If treatment is delayed, irreversible heart damage may occur and risk of sudden death increases.”
How is aortic stenosis diagnosed?
Medical professionals have multiple tests available to diagnose aortic stenosis and determine its severity. The tests include:
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiogram (the use of soundwaves to see the valve)
- Electrocardiogram (EKG) (measures the heart’s electrical activity)
- Stress Test
- CT Scan
- MRI
In addition, a cardiac catheterization may be used to determine the severity of the disease.
How is aortic stenosis treated?
In the absence of symptoms or if symptoms are mild, a common course of action may 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. Treatment options may include:
- Medications – Physicians may prescribe medications for people whose valve conditions are very mild to relieve symptoms and decrease the risk of additional issues.
- Valve Replacement – In terms of valve replacement, the aortic valve is the most commonly replaced valve. During the surgery, the damaged valve is replaced with a new valve made of durable materials.
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implementation (TAVR) – For people with severe aortic stenosis who may not be candidates for open-heart surgery due to its risks, TAVR is a less invasive replacement option. This minimally invasive procedure is similar to placing a stent inside an artery. A catheter, a thin wire or tube, is threaded through the femoral artery in the groin to the diseased valve to place the new valve inside the damaged one. Once the new valve is expanded, blood is regulated and begins to flow.
Where is TAVR performed?
Outside of Pennsylvania’s major cities, TAVR is performed at Penn Highlands DuBois in a state-of-the-art operating room that features a catheterization lab inside an operating room. This “hybrid OR” was specifically designed for the TAVR procedure.
Penn Highlands Healthcare offers a team of interventional cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons with the skills, training and resources to provide exceptional care – even for the most complex cases. They will recommend the least invasive treatment possible to get the best outcome. To learn more, visit www.phhealthcare.org/cardiacsurgery.
