Information About Aortic Valve Stenosis and Heart Valve Replacement Procedures
Facing the option of whether to face 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’ve been diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis, you perhaps considering whether heart valve replacement surgery is the right choice for your current position. Nevertheless, to make an educated call, one must understand what aortic stenosis is and how it has effects on 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 deep inside to the body and it’s main organs. When one develops aortic valve stenosis, the opening that allows the blood to flow from within into the aorta begins to narrow. This narrowing causes the heart ( especially the left ventricle ) to compensate by working/pumping harder to maintain blood flow from within in to the body. Without treatment (like heart valve replacement) the left ventricle will increase in size and thickness due to the added stress of working against the narrow opening. The heart itself may only be able to support this self-induced compensatory action for anumber of years, left untreated it will eventually give way to heart failure.
The progression of aortic valve stenosis is comparatively slow. Many folks may have mild cases of aortic stenosis, but with the body’s ability to compensate, may not realize they have a problem till indications of this disorder occur. Symptoms that accompany aortic stenosis and at last lead to heart valve replacement include chest pain especially with exercise, intense dizziness following activity, irregular pulse rate, tremors and/or difficulty breathing. After symptoms occur, the sole true treatment is surgery. These symptoms indicate that damage to the valve has occurred and the discussion about replacement is imperative.
While most consultants agree that it’s much better to wait for surgical intervention till symptoms develop, there are the few individuals that may gain benefit from heart valve replacement prior to symptom display. People that suffer from aortic stenosis run a higher chance of sudden death due to the chance of heart failure. However, symptoms of heart failure customarily precede a lethal event. However, there’s a low number of folks that can have severe stenosis without presenting with symptoms. One indicator may be linked to individuals that develop low blood pressure during or following exercise. This can suggest possible aortic valve stenosis and these individuals should seek medical advice as soon as possible. The choice about surgery will be a mixed effort between the patient and the various expert physicians planning and implementing the hospital treatment.
