Alternative Names & Classifications:
Calcific Aortic Valve Stenosis (CLINICAL)
Description
Calcific Aortic Valve Stenosis occurs when the delicate leaflets of the aortic valve undergo years of mechanical stress and progressively calcify, becoming thick and stiff. This degeneration restricts the valve from opening fully, forcing the heart to pump much harder to push blood into the aorta. It is the most common valvular heart disease in developed countries, predominantly affecting adults over the age of 65.