Aortic Stenosis: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Therapy

The incidence of aortic stenosis increases with age, affecting up to 10% of the population by the eighth decade. Once symptoms develop, aortic stenosis is rapidly fatal. Proper management requires an understanding of the physiology and criteria used to define disease severity. There is no effective pharmacologic treatment. Surgical aortic valve replacement has been the gold standard treatment for decades. However, over the last 10 years transcatheter aortic valve replacement has emerged as an attractive, less-invasive option for appropriately selected patients. Refinements in valve design and delivery systems have led to widespread use of this breakthrough technology in selected patients. We review the pathophysiology, criteria for valve replacement, and the results of the trials comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with surgical aortic valve replacement.