Aortic Stenosis — When Valve Intervention Is Not Enough

With the aging of the population, aortic stenosis affects a growing number of patients, with a prevalence of 12.4% among persons who are at least 75 years of age, among whom 3.4% have severe aortic stenosis.1 Aortic stenosis is generally well tolerated for a prolonged period of time, even when the condition is severe, despite the increase in left ventricular afterload caused by the constricted outflow. However, once symptoms (typically, of heart failure) develop, the prognosis is poor.2 Given that aortic stenosis is primarily a mechanical problem that leads to the obstruction of left-heart outflow, medical therapy has a limited . . .