Find care now
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or seek care at an emergency room.
When the heart’s aortic valve doesn’t work properly, the heart has a more difficult time pumping blood, sapping patients of their youthful vitality.
The aortic valve controls blood flow between the body’s largest artery (the aorta) and the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle). It is commonly affected by calcium build-up, leading to aortic stenosis.
Aortic valve disease can block blood flow from the heart to the body, or cause blood to leak back into the heart’s left ventricle. Complications can include abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, or stroke.
Having aortic valve disease doesn’t have to mean your best days are behind you. There are effective treatments that can help—many of which were developed by MedStar Health specialists.
Experts in our Structural Heart/Valvular Disease program have been at the forefront of important clinical advances such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) that have revolutionized treatment for aortic valve disease, and we perform hundreds of these safe, effective procedures each year.
Effective treatment for aortic valve disease is available in here Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region, so we can help patients with either type: aortic regurgitation and aortic stenosis.
What are they two types of aortic valve disease?
Aortic regurgitation.
Sometimes known as aortic insufficiency, aortic regurgitation is when the aortic valve doesn’t close tightly. This loose seal allows blood to leak back into the left ventricle. Over time, the ventricle can weaken and enlarge, making the heart pump blood less efficiently.
Left untreated, aortic regurgitation can unfortunately lead to heart failure.
Aortic regurgitation is more likely as you age. Symptoms are different for everyone and can include:
-
Chest pain that gets worse during exercise
-
Fainting (syncope)
-
Fatigue
-
Palpitations, the feeling that the heart is slowing, skipping, or racing
-
Shortness of breath
Aortic regurgitation can have a number of causes, the most common of which is age-related buildup of calcium and weakening of the valve. Other causes include infection, inflammation, trauma, and congenital heart defects present at birth. A physical exam, imaging tests like echocardiogram and chest x-ray, and other tests can be used to diagnose aortic regurgitation.
Aortic stenosis.
Aortic stenosis is more common than regurgitation. Stenosis is narrowing of the valve, which restricts blood flow and makes the heart work harder. Over time, aortic stenosis can make the heart muscle thick and weak. Left untreated, it can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, or stroke.
Often, symptoms of aortic stenosis do not develop until the disease is advanced. Many patients experience fatigue and shortness of breath, and sometimes mistakenly blame aging for their inability to be as active as they once were. Symptoms can be different for each person, and can include:
-
Chest pain and tightness
-
Dizziness, fainting, or weakness
-
Fatigue
-
Shortness of breath
Often, patients in their 50s and 60s with symptoms of aortic stenosis also have bicuspid aortic valve disease. This condition impacts about 2% of the population, and is present from birth. The bicuspid valve has two leaflets to help it close instead of three, and calcium can build up on this valve sooner than a tricuspid valve.
Other less common causes of aortic stenosis can include rheumatic fever and chest radiation therapy for cancer treatment.
Speak with your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms. Echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart, is usually used to diagnose aortic stenosis. Studies have shown that early treatment—even before patients begin to notice symptoms—leads to better outcomes.
Treatment options for aortic valve disease.
Treatment for aortic valve disease is based upon the severity of each individual patient’s condition.
For mild disease, we often recommend careful monitoring or medications to control symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. For disease that is severe or worsening, a procedure to repair or replace the valve may be needed.
Is open surgery or TAVR best?
The two primary therapies for aortic valve disease are TAVR and traditional open repair and replacement. Each has benefits and risks, so our team works together to present patients with their best options.
Generally, patients who are younger and in better health are better surgical candidates. Often, this approach provides the longest-lasting relief and allows us to address any associated issues like coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm, and problems with other heart valves.
For patients who are older with more advanced disease, TAVR provides an elegant non-surgical solution. Working closely with interventional cardiologists, we thread a small tube called a catheter through a blood vessel from the leg until we reach the heart. There, we install a new, synthetic valve to restore blood flow. This procedure frequently does not even require general anesthesia.
MedStar Health has been a clinical trial site for every study of TAVR since the first one in 2007. Our surgeons perform about 550 of these procedures per year—our patients have excellent outcomes due to our expertise and team-based approach.
Related reading: Valve Disease Treatment: A Team Approach is a Winning Strategy.
At the forefront of aortic valve disease treatment.
For decades, MedStar Health has been a leader in developing and testing new treatments for aortic valve disease. From the early days of TAVR to the most recent research exploring its benefits for patients at low risk, we’re working to expand access to the latest and best treatments for every patient.
Sometimes it can seem like slowing down with age is inevitable, but sometimes it’s aortic valve disease instead. Talk with your doctor about any symptoms you experience. There are effective treatments that can help your heart beat better and restore vitality to your life.
