Aortic Stenosis: Early Warning Signs, Causes and Treatment Explained
Introduction Your heart has four valves. Each one opens and closes with every single heartbeat-roughly 100,000 times a day-to keep blood moving in the right direction. When one of these valves stops working properly, the heart has to work much harder than it should. Aortic valve stenosis is exactly that kind of problem. The aortic valve, which controls blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body, gradually becomes narrow and stiff. Blood cannot flow freely. The heart strains. And over time, that strain can cause serious damage. What makes this condition tricky is that it often develops slowly-over years, sometimes decades-without causing any noticeable symptoms. By the time a person feels something is wrong, the valve may already be significantly narrowed. People with high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease are more likely to develop this condition. Age is also a big factor. But it can affect younger people too, especially those born with an abnormal valve. In this ...