What You Should Know About This Lesser Known Heart Condition

Is it Aging or Something Serious?

Medtronic

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Published November 20, 2024

PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock

Have you heard of aortic stenosis? If not, you aren’t alone—30% of women aged 50 and older are unfamiliar with the condition.^[i]While lesser known than many other heart valve diseases, it’s actually the most common, affecting more than 1.5 million Americans.^[ii]

Aortic stenosis (AS) occurs when the heart’s aortic valve does not open properly, reducing the flow of blood as it exits the heart and is pumped to the rest of the body. If you’re living with undetected AS, you might find yourself feeling more tired than usual when playing with your grandchildren or experiencing breathlessness on family walks. This happens because your heart is working harder, weakening it over time and making it difficult to perform everyday activities.

Diagnosis and treatment is more challenging in women due to their underrepresentation in clinical trials, and underdiagnosis due to an underestimation of the condition’s severity. As a result, women with AS experience higher mortality rates than men.

Here are three important questions women should ask about AS.

1. What are the symptoms of aortic stenosis?

AS symptoms are often mistaken for those of normal aging, but they could signal a more serious issue. Women tend to present differently than men for symptoms of AS, so it’s important for women to speak up if they are experiencing any of the below.

Chest pain
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Difficulty walking short distances
Trouble breathing or feeling out of breath
Rapid, fluttering heartbeat
Fainting
Difficulty sleeping lying flat
Swollen feet
Fatigue

The sooner you seek care from a cardiologist, the better.

2. What can I do to reduce my risk of developing aortic stenosis?

While AS isn’t always preventable, there are lifestyle factors that can help maintain heart health and overall well-being, in turn reducing risk factors.

Manage conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes
Maintain a healthy weight by eating a balanced diet and regularly exercising
Quit smoking
See your healthcare professionals regularly to monitor and maintain optimal heart health

3. What are my treatment options?

Every woman’s heart is different and therefore, tailored approaches are needed to address AS in women.

Speaking with your cardiologist about treatment options is critical after receiving an AS diagnosis. In addition to traditional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), an open-heart surgery to fix the diseased valve, there is a less invasive treatment option called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). TAVR may require less time in the hospital and may result in a quicker recovery. Since women tend to have smaller valves, TAVR can be an effective treatment option.^[iii]

If you are a woman aged 50 or older, it’s more important than ever to prioritize your heart health. Talk to your doctor about your risks and what treatment options are right for you.

Visit TAVRforwomen.com to learn more about TAVR treatment options.

^Sources:

^{[i] “New Survey Uncovers Lack of Awareness around Heart Valve Disease and Risk Factors among Women.” Medtronic News, 2024, news.medtronic.com/2024-04-07-New-survey-uncovers-lack-of-awareness-around-heart-valve-disease-and-risk-factors-among-women. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.}

^{[ii] Aluru JS, Barsouk A, Saginala K, Rawla P, Barsouk A. Valvular Heart Disease Epidemiology. Med Sci (Basel). 2022;10(2):32. Published 2022 Jun 15. doi:10.3390/medsci10020032}

^{[iii] Blankenberg, S., Seiffert, M., Vonthein, R., Baumgartner, H., Bleiziffer, S., Borger, M. A., Choi, Y., Clemmensen, P., Cremer, J., Czerny, M., Diercks, N., Eitel, I., Ensminger, S., Frank, D., Frey, N., Hagendorff, A., Hagl, C., Hamm, C., Kappert, U., . . . Falk, V. (2024). Transcatheter or surgical treatment of Aortic-Valve stenosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 390(17), 1572–1583. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2400685}

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