Aortic valve stenosis
What is Aortic valve stenosis?
Aortic valve stenosis is a condition where the aortic valve becomes narrow and stiff. The aortic valve sits between your heart and your main artery. It opens to let oxygen-rich blood flow out to your body with each heartbeat. When the valve narrows, your heart must work harder to push blood through the smaller opening.
This narrowing happens when calcium builds up on the valve over time. The valve becomes thick and rigid instead of flexible. As stenosis gets worse, your heart struggles to pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. This puts strain on your heart muscle and can lead to serious complications if left untreated.
Aortic valve stenosis usually develops slowly over many years. Most people don't notice symptoms in the early stages. The condition becomes more common with age, especially after 65. Early detection through blood tests and imaging can help you monitor valve health before symptoms appear.
Symptoms
- Chest pain or pressure, especially during physical activity
- Shortness of breath during exercise or when lying down
- Feeling dizzy or fainting with exertion
- Fatigue and weakness during normal activities
- Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat
- Swollen ankles and feet
- Difficulty walking or climbing stairs
- Heart murmur detected during physical exam
Many people with mild aortic valve stenosis have no symptoms for years. Symptoms typically appear when the valve opening becomes significantly narrowed. Once symptoms develop, the condition has usually progressed and requires close monitoring.
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Causes and risk factors
Calcium buildup on the aortic valve is the main cause of stenosis in adults. As you age, calcium deposits accumulate on the valve leaflets and make them stiff. High levels of Lipoprotein (a) increase calcium deposits on the aortic valve. This protein particle carries cholesterol in your blood and promotes valve calcification. People born with a bicuspid aortic valve have only two leaflets instead of three, which leads to faster wear and earlier stenosis.
Risk factors include age over 65, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney disease. Smoking damages blood vessels and accelerates calcium buildup. A history of rheumatic fever in childhood can scar the valve and cause stenosis later in life. Radiation therapy to the chest increases risk. Family history of valve disease and metabolic conditions like diabetes also raise your chances of developing this condition.
How it's diagnosed
Your doctor will listen to your heart with a stethoscope to detect a heart murmur. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to create images of your heart and measure how well your valve opens. This test shows the valve structure, the size of the opening, and how hard your heart is working. An electrocardiogram records your heart's electrical activity and can show signs of strain.
Blood tests help identify risk factors that contribute to valve calcification. Rite Aid offers testing for Lipoprotein (a), a key biomarker linked to aortic valve calcium buildup. Elevated Lp(a) levels can signal increased risk for valve stenosis. Regular monitoring of this biomarker helps you and your doctor assess cardiovascular risk and track changes over time.
Treatment options
- Regular monitoring with echocardiograms to track valve narrowing
- Heart-healthy diet low in saturated fat and sodium to reduce cardiovascular strain
- Regular physical activity as recommended by your doctor
- Medications to manage blood pressure and reduce heart workload
- Statins to help manage cholesterol levels
- Valve replacement surgery when stenosis becomes severe
- Balloon valvuloplasty to widen the valve opening in select cases
- Avoiding strenuous exercise if stenosis is moderate to severe
- Dental hygiene to prevent infections that can affect the heart valve
- Limiting alcohol and quitting smoking to protect heart health
Need testing for Aortic valve stenosis? Add it to your panel.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Aortic valve stenosis means the valve is too narrow and restricts blood flow out of the heart. Aortic regurgitation means the valve doesn't close properly and blood leaks backward. Both affect the same valve but in opposite ways. Some people can have both conditions at the same time.
Mild aortic valve stenosis cannot be reversed, but you can slow progression with lifestyle changes. Managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and maintaining a heart-healthy diet help protect your valve. Once stenosis becomes severe, valve replacement surgery is typically needed. Medications help manage symptoms but don't fix the narrowed valve.
Lipoprotein (a) carries cholesterol particles that stick to your aortic valve and promote calcium buildup. Higher Lp(a) levels increase your risk of valve calcification and stenosis. Your Lp(a) level is mostly determined by genetics. Testing for Lp(a) helps identify people at higher risk for valve disease.
See your doctor right away if you experience chest pain, fainting, or severe shortness of breath. These symptoms suggest that stenosis has progressed and your heart is struggling. Even mild symptoms like fatigue during normal activities deserve evaluation. Early diagnosis allows for better monitoring and timely treatment.
Some forms of aortic valve stenosis run in families. Being born with a bicuspid aortic valve is inherited and increases stenosis risk. High Lipoprotein (a) levels are also genetic and contribute to valve calcification. However, most cases develop due to age-related calcium buildup rather than direct inheritance.
Untreated severe aortic stenosis leads to heart failure because the heart can't pump enough blood. You may experience dangerous heart rhythm problems. Sudden cardiac death can occur in advanced cases. Once symptoms appear, the average survival without treatment is 2 to 3 years, which makes timely intervention critical.
A heart-healthy diet and regular exercise may slow calcium buildup on the valve. Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains supports cardiovascular health. Limiting saturated fat and sodium helps manage blood pressure and cholesterol. While lifestyle changes can't prevent all cases, they reduce risk factors that accelerate valve damage.
Most doctors recommend testing for Lp(a) at least once in your lifetime, since levels remain stable over time. If you have a family history of early heart disease or valve problems, earlier testing makes sense. High Lp(a) levels warrant regular monitoring of heart health and valve function. Rite Aid offers convenient Lp(a) testing as an add-on to our wellness panel.
Most people spend 5 to 7 days in the hospital after valve replacement. Full recovery typically takes 6 to 12 weeks. You'll need cardiac rehabilitation to rebuild strength and endurance. Many patients feel significantly better after surgery because their heart no longer strains against a narrow valve.
Young adults can develop stenosis if they were born with a bicuspid aortic valve. Rheumatic fever from untreated strep infections can damage valves in childhood. Genetic conditions that affect connective tissue also increase risk. Most cases occur in people over 65, but younger individuals with risk factors should monitor valve health.