Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Aortic valve stenosis; Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction; Rheumatic aortic stenosis; Calcium aortic stenosis
Treatment
If there are no symptoms or symptoms are mild, you may only need to be monitored by a health care provider.
Patients with significant aortic stenosis are usually told not to play competitive sports, even if they don't have symptoms. If symptoms do occur, strenuous activity must be limited.
Medications are used to treat symptoms of heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms (most commonly atrial fibrillation). These include diuretics (water pills), nitrates, and beta-blockers. High blood pressure should also be treated.
Antibiotics may be used for some people with aortic stenosis:
- People who had rheumatic fever in the past may need long-term, daily treatment with penicillin.
- In the past, most patients with heart valve problems such as aortic stenosis were given antibiotics before dental work or an invasive procedure, such as colonoscopy. The antibiotics were given to prevent an infection of the damaged heart valve. However, antibiotics are now used much less often before dental work and other procedures.
Patients should stop smoking and be treated for high cholesterol.
People with aortic stenosis should see a cardiologist every 3 to 6 months.
Surgery to repair or replace the valve is the preferred treatment for adults or children who develop symptoms. Even if symptoms are not very bad, the doctor may recommend surgery. People with no symptoms but worrisome results on diagnostic tests may also require surgery.
A less invasive procedure called balloon valvuloplasty may be done in children instead. This is a procedure in which a balloon is placed into an artery in the groin, advanced to the heart, placed across the valve, and inflated. This may relieve the blockage caused by the narrowed valve.
Some children may require aortic valve repair or replacement. If possible, the pulmonary valve may be used to replace the aortic valve.
Children with mild aortic stenosis may be able to participate in most activities and sports.
See also:
Aortic valve surgery - minimally invasive Aortic valve surgery - open Heart failure
Previous Section
Review Date: 05/07/2010
Reviewed By: Issam Mikati, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Feinberg School
of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Review provided
by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD,
MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
