What is Severe Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis? Symptoms and Causes

The heart is the most sensitive organ of the human body that is responsible for pumping blood to various different organs. The heart also regulates various metabolic activities in our body which are crucial for our survival. The heart along with the various blood channels makes up the circulatory system which is responsible for the circulation of blood loaded with oxygen throughout the body. The heart functions 24 hours a day without taking any break. The normal and continuous functioning of the heart is extremely important for the substance of life. Cardiovascular diseases of various kinds have become prevalent nowadays owing to unhealthy lifestyle practices and increasing pollution. Some of these may also be genetic or hereditary. Genetic cardiovascular problems are passed down from the parents to the children whereas congenital heart defects are present since birth and usually caused by deformation in the heart, that occurs at the time of development in the mother's womb. One of the most common heart defects that have become prevalent nowadays is Aortic stenosis.

The aortic valve regulates the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. It also ensures that there is no backward flow of blood. In patients suffering from aortic stenosis, there is an excessive accumulation of plaque on the walls of the aortic valve. The plaque consists of unwanted cholesterol, salt or fat particles that block the various blood channels, thereby, hindering the free flow of blood. Aortic stenosis develops very gradually and may not show any symptoms for quite a long time. In such case, the patient is said to be suffering from the asymptomatic aortic stenosis. However, as time passes by and the problem becomes severe, the symptoms also start becoming evident and hereby the condition is known as symptomatic aortic stenosis. The problem is quite common in older people especially above 60 years of age.

Asymptomatic aortic stenosis is usually detected accidentally or goes unnoticed for a very long time. It usually refers to mild cases of aortic stenosis that do not require surgical intervention. The problem can be treated with the use of oral medication and adopting healthy lifestyle practices. Symptomatic aortic stenosis, on the other hand, has quite prominent symptoms which include breathlessness, palpitation, cold sweats, frequent chest pain, discomfort etc. In some cases, it can even trigger a stroke, heart attack, heart failure or even death. Symptomatic aortic stenosis usually develops after a latent asymptomatic period of 10 to 20 years. Symptomatic aortic stenosis cannot be treated simply by oral medication and requires surgical treatment.

The surgical treatment for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis involves the traditional open heart surgery as well as new, minimally invasive procedure which include transcatheter aortic valve implantation and transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Both the techniques aim at restoring the normal functioning of the aortic valve either by implanting a new artificially created valve inside the damaged valve or by the complete replacement of the older valve.

The procedure is carried out by making 2 to 3 small incisions near the chest or groin area. A small tube, known as a catheter, which is fixed with a balloon-like structure on one of its ends is inserted inside the patient's body via this incision. The artificial valve, created using living tissue obtained from cows or pigs, is placed inside this catheter. A small camera is also inserted inside the patient's body which transmits live images on a television screen. The catcher is carefully moved towards the affected area and once it is in position, the balloon is inflated to force open the shrunk and damaged valve and make way for the placement of the new valve. Once the valve is in position, the balloon is deflated and removed along with the catheter. The wound is then sterilised and covered properly to avoid any chances of infection.

The patient may be discharged on the same day depending upon the pace of recovery. Apart from the surgery, there are certain other guidelines that are to be religiously followed by the patient to ensure that the surgery is a success and that the problem does not return back in future. The diet of the patient needs to be monitored very carefully. In case, the patient is suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, extra care and precaution need to be taken. The patient should also abstain from smoking and drinking as these may add to the problem.

As the name suggests, severe symptomatic aortic stenosis refers to a severe blockage in the aortic valve that has developed over a long period of time only showing it symptoms now. Aortic stenosis is a very common cardiovascular problem that usually affects older people. However, it is not necessary that problem only affects elderly people but is quite prevalent in middle-aged people as well. The reason why aortic stenosis is considered to be very deadly is that the patient usually does not experience any symptoms in the earlier stage (asymptomatic aortic stenosis) and these become evident only when the problem has proceeded to a chronic stage (symptomatic aortic stenosis). The best possible way to treat severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Both the treatments are available in the best heart hospital in Jaipur. The hospital is equipped with all the latest surgical instruments and a hub for the top-notch cardiovascular surgeons including the best TAVR or TAVI experts in Jaipur who have been responsible for treating many patients suffering from the severe aortic stenosis.

Since aortic stenosis does not necessarily show any symptoms, it is very important to go for routine checkups as there have been many cases where the problem was discovered accidentally during a normal checkup. You need to take extra care if you fall under the risk category. The patient should also be aware of the various symptoms and causes of aortic stenosis to be able to determine if they are suffering from the problem. In case you experience any of the symptoms, it is advisable to seek immediate medical help. A series of tests may be conducted to determine the adversity of the problem and device out a proper medical treatment to be undertaken. The treatment procedure for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis includes both traditional open heart surgery and non-invasive treatments like TAVR and TAVI. If you are looking for the best cardiology hospital in India, you can find the best heart hospital in Jaipur. TAVI / TAVR experts in Jaipur aim at providing the best possible treatment with satisfactory outcomes, that too at lower rates. This is the reason why heart treatment in Jaipur is highly preferred by a majority of people.

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