Aortic valve disease is a form of heart valve disease that prevents your aortic valve from working properly. The two types of aortic valve disease are aortic regurgitation and aortic stenosis. Risk factors include having a bicuspid aortic valve and being over age 60. Medications and surgery can manage symptoms and prevent complications.
Aortic valve disease is a group of conditions that affect your aortic valve and prevent it from working as it should. Your aortic valve is the “door” that manages blood flow out of your heart to the rest of your body. This valve allows blood to travel from your heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle) into a large artery called your aorta. From there, your blood travels into many artery branches to supply oxygen and nutrients to your organs and tissues.
Your aortic valve opens and closes each time your heart beats. It needs to open widely to create enough space for blood to pass through. It also has to close tightly to prevent blood from flowing backward. If your valve has problems with either or both of these tasks, you have aortic valve disease.
There are two types of aortic valve disease:
It’s important to know that you could have one or both types of aortic valve disease and not realize it for a long time. That’s because symptoms often don’t show up until after the disease has progressed. Learning about aortic valve disease can help you catch problems early and receive necessary treatment.
Aortic valve disease can affect anyone, but it typically affects people who:
Your risk of aortic valve disease increases the older you get. In the U.S., about 1 in 50 people over age 65 have aortic stenosis. Some estimates show 1 in 20 people have at least a mild form of aortic regurgitation.
About 1 in 3 people born with a bicuspid aortic valve develop aortic stenosis. This narrowing typically happens 10 to 20 years sooner compared with people who have normal valve anatomy.
Aortic valve disease is the most common form of heart valve disease in the U.S. and Europe. It’s also the most dangerous. Aortic valve disease causes about 6 in 10 deaths due to heart valve disease. That’s more than all the deaths from mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valve disease combined.
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Early on, you may have no symptoms. As aortic valve disease gets worse, you may experience:
Causes of aortic valve disease include:
You face a higher risk for aortic valve disease if you:
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Aortic valve disease gradually gets worse over time. Healthcare providers use these stages to describe the severity of your condition:
Aortic valve disease is serious and can lead to complications when untreated. The most common complication is heart failure. This is when your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Other complications include:
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Healthcare providers diagnose aortic valve disease through a physical exam and testing.
During an exam, a provider:
You may also need one or more additional tests. An echocardiogram is the gold standard for diagnosing aortic valve disease. This test uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to take pictures of your heart.
Other tests you may need include:
Treatment depends on:
Your healthcare provider will evaluate your situation and recommend the best treatment plan for you. Treatment options include:
It’s not always possible to prevent aortic valve disease. It often occurs due to aging, congenital heart disease or chronic conditions.
However, you can lower your risk and keep your heart valves healthy by:
Your outlook depends on many factors, including when you’re diagnosed, how far the disease has progressed and your overall health. It’s important to talk to a healthcare provider about your outlook. They can give you a sense of how you’ll respond to treatment and what to expect going forward.
Your provider will advise you on lifestyle changes and how to care for yourself from day to day. Follow these guidelines closely and ask if you have any questions. Your provider may recommend:
Your provider will tell you how often you need to come in for appointments. It’s crucial that you go to all of your appointments. Your provider will run imaging tests on a regular basis to monitor your valve and your heart function. These tests allow your provider to recommend treatment at the right time and help lower your risk of future complications.
Call your provider right away if:
Call 911 or your local emergency number if you:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
It can be scary to learn you have aortic valve disease. But the good news is that with treatment, you can ease your symptoms, lower your risk of complications and have an excellent quality of life. If you feel anxious or worried about the future, it may help to talk with others who also have heart valve disease. Ask your provider to connect you with community groups where you can learn more, share your story and hear from others.
Last reviewed on 11/17/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy