Aortic Valve Stenosis Diagnosis

The aorta is the main artery allowing blood to move away from the heart and through the rest of the body. When the heart valve that controls this flow malfunctions, one of the most crucial tasks of the heart is restricted.

Identification

• Valvular heart disease refers to heart valves unable to control blood flow throughout the coronary muscle. The aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary are the four types of valves. Stenosis occurs when valves fail to open completely.

Significance

• "When blood leaves the heart, it flows from the lower chamber through the aortic valve, into the aorta," says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. "In aortic stenosis, the aortic valve does not open fully." This deprives the body of blood and oxygen.

Symptoms

• Symptoms typically aren't noticeable until late in the disease but may include breathlessness, chest pain, dizziness or fainting, weakness, or heart palpitations (being able to feel the heart beat.)

Diagnosis

• The condition may be a congenital heart defect present at birth or develop over time with aging. Aortic valve stenosis diagnosis typically occurs when a physician hears a sort of "clicking" or heart murmur via stethoscope or notices a slight vibration or movement when a hand is placed over the heart.

Tests

• Diagnostic tests used to confirm aortic stenosis include non-invasive procedures like an electrocardiogram (ECG), chest x-ray and echocardiogram. If these fail to provide a diagnosis, an invasive procedure like cardiac catheterization will be utilized.