Who gets aortic stenosis?
Aortic stenosis affects millions of people in the U.S. It is estimated that up to 7 percent of people
over the age of 65 have aortic stenosis. About 80 percent of adults with symptomatic aortic stenosis
are male.
Severe aortic stenosis is a very serious condition. Without treatment, approximately half of those
who suffer from this condition will have shorter life expectancies.
TREATMENT OPTIONS for Aortic Stenosis
Treatment for aortic stenosis depends on how far the disease has progressed. For a mild condition,
medication therapy may be recommended. If the stenosis is more severe, the Heart Team may
recommend replacing the diseased valve.
Medication Therapy: If your stenosis is mild, medication may be prescribed to help regulate your
heartbeat and prevent blood clots. If you were recently prescribed or are on a blood-thinning
medication, you may be referred to our Anticoagulation Program where you will be carefully
monitored by experienced pharmacists and nurse practitioners who will regularly check the
medication’s effect on your blood’s clotting tendency.
As the severity of your stenosis progresses, our Heart Team may recommend one of two procedures
for replacing the diseased valve:
Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR): AVR is the most common surgical open-heart treatment for aortic
stenosis. In this operation your diseased aortic valve is removed and a new valve is inserted. Surgical
AVR has been performed for many years and has shown to lengthen patients’ lives.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): If the Heart Team determines you are at high risk,
too sick to undergo open-heart surgery or if medication is not helping you improve, TAVR may be
an alternative. This less invasive procedure allows a new valve to be inserted within your diseased
aortic valve while your heart is still beating. And just like surgical AVR, TAVR has been shown to
consistently enhance quality of life. Because the TAVR procedure is not right for everyone, your
Heart Team will inform you if you are candidate.