Aortic Valve Stenosis and Heart Valve Replacement Surgery – More Info
Posted on October 3, 2009
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Facing the option of whether to suffer surgery or not is concerning enough in itself. However, when it is related to your heart, it carries even more weight and concern. If you have been diagnosed as having aortic valve stenosis, you maybe considering whether heart valve replacement surgery is the right choice for your current position. However, to make an informed decision, one must understand what aortic stenosis is and how it is affecting your heart and body.
The aortic valve controls the flow of oxygenated blood from the left ventricle into the aorta. The aorta is the biggest vessel in the body which transports blood from within to the body and it’s major organs. When one develops aortic valve stenosis, the opening that permits the blood to flow from deep inside into the aorta starts to narrow. This narrowing causes the heart ( especially the left ventricle ) to compensate by working/pumping harder to maintain blood flow from the heart in to the body. Without treatment (like heart valve replacement) the left ventricle will increase in size and thickness because of the added stress of working against the narrow opening. The heart itself will only be able to support this self-induced compensatory action for a few years, not treated it will eventually give way to cardiac arrest.
The progression of aortic valve stenosis is comparatively slow. Many of us may have mild cases of aortic stenosis, but with the body’s ability to compensate, may not realize they have got a problem till symptoms of this disorder occur. Symptoms that go with aortic stenosis and finally lead to heart valve replacement include chest pain especially with exercise, acute dizziness following activity, irregular heart rate, pulsations and/or trouble breathing. After symptoms occur, the sole true treatment is surgery. These symptoms indicate that damage to the valve has occurred and the debate about replacement is imperative.
While most doctors agree that itis better to hang about for surgical intervention till symptoms develop, there are the few individuals that may gain benefit from heart valve replacement prior to symptom display. Folks that suffer from aortic stenosis run a higher risk of unexpected death because of the chance of cardiac arrest. However, signs of heart failure sometimes precede a lethal event. However, thereis a small number of folks that can suffer from severe stenosis without presenting with symptoms. One indicator may be linked to individuals that develop low blood pressure during or following exercise. This may suggest possible aortic valve stenosis and these people should seek medical advice as fast as possible. The choice about surgery will be a mixed effort between the patient and the various expert doctors planning and implementing the medical therapy.
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