What is the Aortic Valve Stenosis and how can it be treated

ByDr Raghu Cardiologist

Aortic stenosis is one of the most common kinds of heart valve disease, and it may pose a serious risk to the patient’s life. Aortic Valve Stenosis is a medical term that refers to a narrowing of the orifice of the aortic valve.

Your physician or cardiologist will design a treatment plan for your aortic stenosis that takes into account the degree to which it has progressed. Echocardiograms and frequent examinations are part of your treatment. Even if your stenosis is severe, your doctor may prescribe “watchful waiting” if you have no symptoms.

A change in lifestyle will almost certainly be recommended by your physician in order to help you maintain better cardiovascular health and reduce Aortic Valve Stenosis Symptoms. A few examples of these shifts:

  • Making better dietary changes
  • If weight reduction is required, this will be addressed as well.
  • Smoking cessation
  • Controlling your level of anxiety
  • Working out, if your conditions allow,
  • Medications

Aortic stenosis cannot be cured or even improved with medication. Some treatments may help you manage your symptoms and reduce the risk of developing certain consequences, though.

Your doctor may prescribe any of the following medications for Aortic Valve Stenosis Diagnosis:

  • Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which may open blood arteries more completely.
  • Medicines that control irregular heartbeats are available.
  • Drugs that lower your heart rate are beta-blockers.
  • To reduce fluid in your body and alleviate stress on the heart, diuretics (sometimes known as “water pills”) are often prescribed
  • It’s likely that you and your doctor will also discuss whether you need to take aspirin every day and if you need to take statins, which decrease LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. As with any other drug, there are both advantages and drawbacks to using them.

 

Procedures

You may have options if your aortic stenosis requires more aggressive therapy. Some techniques may be used to fix a bad valve.  The goal of balloon valvuloplasty is to replace a damaged valve in your heart. After making an incision in your buttock, the doctor inserts a flexible, deflated balloon-tipped flexible tube into an artery and up to your heart. In order to widen the constricted valve, the balloon must be inflated once it has arrived. It deflates and the catheter comes out of the balloon as well.

Because the results persist for just a short time, physicians seldom perform this operation. People who aren’t well enough to have major surgery or who must wait for another procedure may benefit most from this option.

 

Alternatives

The defective valve may be removed and a new one installed as a part of Aortic Valve Stenosis Treatment. In certain cases, you may need a mechanical valve replacement, while in others, you may need a tissue valve replacement.

Both options have their benefits and drawbacks. However, you will need to take blood-thinning medications for the remainder of your life if you have a synthetic valve. In the course of a decade or so, biological valves will need replacement. With the aid of your doctor, you can make an informed decision.

You no longer need to undergo open-heart surgery in order to get a replacement valve thanks to a more recent technique. You may call it transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). 

An empty balloon catheter with a foldable replacement valve is attached to the tip of the catheter. The replacement valve is inserted by the doctor, who then inflates the balloon. In order to put your new valve into your old one, you first need to open the replacement valve. Once the balloon and catheter have deflated, the doctor will remove them.

Another variation of this method does away with the need for a balloon by using a valve that expands on its own. Even if you’ve previously had a heart valve replaced, doctors may still utilize TAVR if the valve is worn out.

If you’re in need of help, reach out to Dr. Raghu. For him, the distinctive aspect of his approach to patient care is that he interacts actively in order to provide patients with information and let them keep an eye on the progress of their therapy.

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