What Is Aortic Stenosis?

Perhaps you’ve heard the terms aortic stenosis, aortic valve stenosis or aorta stenosis. These terms all refer to the same serious heart condition that can progress if left untreated. It’s important to understand the causes and risks of aortic stenosis, and perhaps more importantly, what treatment options exist.

Aortic stenosis is a heart condition where the thin leaflets of valve tissue that open and close when the heart beats become stiff. This makes your heart work harder to pump the necessary amount of blood through your body, which can affect your health. Aortic stenosis currently affects more than 2.5 million people over the age of 75 in the United States, and that number is expected to grow as more people live longer.^1,2 It also is more common in men than women.³

The most important thing to know about aortic stenosis is: don’t wait to seek treatment. If you think you may have severe aortic stenosis, or if your doctor has already diagnosed you, it’s important to take action and get back to the activities you love.

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To learn more about aortic stenosis, request a Free Aortic Stenosis Info Kit. This Free Info Kit is designed to provide you with the information you need to be your best advocate, including information about aortic stenosis and treatment options, a Doctor Discussion Guide and a list of nearby hospitals.

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Aortic stenosis is a progressive disease, meaning that it generally gets worse over time. Sometimes the disease has progressed significantly before it is even discovered or diagnosed. This can result in “severe aortic stenosis,” where the heart valve is struggling to open and close. That extra work can result in symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue. Severe aortic stenosis can even make normal daily activities, like getting the mail or climbing stairs, difficult. Some may think of these symptoms as a normal part of getting older. But they mean your body lacks the oxygen it needs. That is why it is important to tell your doctor as soon as you think you have symptoms or your symptoms worsen.

After symptoms develop, up to 50% of people with severe aortic stenosis will die within an average of two years if they do not have their aortic valve replaced.⁴ That is a frightening statistic, but there is hope.

Taking the next step to find out about your treatment options may feel overwhelming, but it is important to talk to your doctor about the options available to you. While your doctor may recommend medication or balloon valvuloplasty (a procedure in which a balloon catheter is inserted through an artery into the heart to open the narrowed valve) to relieve the symptoms of aortic stenosis, the only effective way to treat severe aortic stenosis is by replacing your aortic valve.

There are risks associated with both TAVR and open heart surgery, which can include death, stroke and major bleeding. Talk to your doctor about your treatment options, the risks, and whether TAVR is right for you.

It’s important to talk with your doctor about all of your treatment options to determine which is right for you. You can get a Free Aortic Stenosis Info Kit, designed to provide you with the information you need to be your best advocate, including information about aortic stenosis and treatment options, a Doctor Discussion Guide, and a list of nearby hospitals.

Make sure you know all your options. Request a Free Aortic Stenosis Info Kit, and discuss your options with your doctor today.

What can you do to ensure you’re taking your heart health seriously?

As with any medical procedure, there are risks. The most serious risks of TAVR include: death, major stroke, major vascular complications, and a life-threatening bleeding event.

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What Is Aortic Stenosis?

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