Aortic stenosis

Aortic stenosis is narrowing of the aortic valve that obstructs blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta. It increases the pressure the left ventricle must generate to pump blood.

Aortic valve: The heart valve between the left ventricle and the aorta, which prevents blood from flowing backward into the ventricle. Its narrowing creates the obstruction that defines aortic stenosis.
Calcific aortic stenosis: Aortic stenosis caused by progressive calcium deposition and thickening of the valve leaflets. It is the predominant form in older adults.
Aortic valve replacement: A procedure that replaces a diseased aortic valve with a mechanical or biological valve. Replacement relieves the obstruction when severe stenosis warrants intervention.
Aortic stenosis symptoms: Clinical signs and experiences associated with aortic stenosis, including breathlessness, chest pain, and fainting. These symptoms can signal that the obstruction is affecting daily function.
Aortic regurgitation: Backward flow from the aorta into the left ventricle through an aortic valve that fails to close completely. Regurgitation is a closing failure, unlike stenosis's restricted opening.
Left ventricular hypertrophy: Thickening of the left ventricle's muscular wall, usually in response to sustained pressure or volume load. The ventricle thickens to overcome the pressure imposed by the narrowed valve.
Bicuspid aortic valve: A congenital aortic valve with two leaflets instead of the usual three. Its abnormal structure can cause stenosis decades earlier than age-related disease.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A procedure that delivers and implants a replacement aortic valve through a catheter, usually without open-heart surgery. TAVR offers a less invasive replacement option for selected patients.
Heart failure: A clinical syndrome in which the heart cannot meet the body's needs without elevated filling pressures. Pressure overload can eventually impair the left ventricle and cause heart failure.
Mitral stenosis: Narrowing of the mitral valve that obstructs blood flow from the left atrium into the left ventricle. It is another valve narrowing, but obstructs a different chamber-to-chamber flow.

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