Conditions and symptoms
What Is Aortic Stenosis? A Narrowed Heart Valve Explained
Aortic Stenosis · say it: ay-OR-tik steh-NOH-sisAlso written: aortic valve stenosis, AS, narrowed aortic valve
Short answer
Aortic stenosis means the aortic valve of the heart is narrowed, so the heart must work harder to push blood out to the body.
What it means
The aortic valve sits between the heart's main pumping chamber and the aorta, the large artery carrying blood to the body. In aortic stenosis the valve becomes stiff and narrowed, often with age-related calcium build-up, or because of a valve shape a person was born with. Mild cases may cause no symptoms; more severe cases can cause breathlessness, chest pain, dizziness or fainting, especially on exertion.
Labels mention aortic stenosis as a caution for medicines that widen blood vessels or lower blood pressure, such as nitrates and some erectile dysfunction medicines. With a narrowed valve, the heart cannot easily increase its output, so a sudden drop in blood pressure can cause fainting. The label is asking prescribers to take extra care.
Aortic stenosis is one kind of 'stenosis', which simply means narrowing. Your echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) report will usually describe it as mild, moderate or severe.
Where you may see it
- Nitrate and vasodilator medicine labels under 'Warnings'
- Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) reports
- Cardiology clinic letters
📄 How it looks on a report
Echocardiogram: Moderate aortic stenosis. Left ventricular function preserved.
🙅 What it does not mean
- A heart murmur does not always mean aortic stenosis.
- Mild aortic stenosis does not always need treatment; it is often monitored with repeat scans.
- A label caution does not mean you can never take the medicine; your doctor weighs it.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Aortic Stenosis”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Amlodipine
a calcium channel blocker, a type of medicine that relaxes blood vessels
- Nifedipine
a calcium channel blocker of the dihydropyridine type
- Sildenafil
A phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction
- Tadalafil
a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, which is a medicine that blocks an enzyme called PDE5
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Aortic Stenosis” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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