Q. I am 80 years old and have exercised (tennis, racquetball) most of my life. Currently, I do more walking and swimming. I was found to have aortic stenosis: My aortic valve was noted to be calcified and has a mean gradient of 23 on an echocardiogram. I would like to prolong a replacement as long as possible. What can I do to maintain or slow down the deterioration of the valve? Is there any new medication that can improve the function of this valve?
A
Aortic stenosis is one of the most common causes of valvular heart disease. There are many reasons for aortic stenosis, including congenital abnormalities and rheumatic heart disease. However, the most common reason in North America and Europe is calcification occurring as individuals grow older. Aortic stenosis is present in 5% to 10% of people ages 80 to 89.
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber. Sign in
Subscribe to Heart Advisor
Get the next year of Heart Advisor for just $20. And access all of our online content - over 2,000 articles - free of charge.
Subscribe today and save 38%. It's like getting 5 months FREE!
