AVD — the plain-language one-pager.

What is Aortic Valve Disease?Diagnosis

Your aortic valve is one of four one-way doors in your heart. Every heartbeat, it opens to let oxygen-rich blood out of the left ventricle into the aorta — and snaps shut so blood does not flow back. Aortic stenosis (AS) is when the valve becomes calcified, stiff, and narrow — the most common valve disease in older adults, often called "the murmur that matters." Aortic regurgitation (AR) is when the valve cannot fully close and lets blood leak backward. Both make the heart work harder and can lead to heart failure.

• Aortic Stenosis — the most important pattern to know. Often silent for years, then symptoms appear: angina (chest pressure on exertion), syncope (fainting), and dyspnea (shortness of breath). Once any of these start in severe AS, average survival without treatment is months to a few years. The decision to intervene gets urgent fast.
• Top causes — age-related calcific AS (most common); bicuspid aortic valve (a congenital 2-leaflet valve, usually presents earlier in life); rheumatic heart disease (still common globally); endocarditis (infection of the valve).
• How it is diagnosed — your clinician hears a murmur, then orders an echocardiogram (TTE) to grade severity (mild / moderate / severe / very severe). Severity is based on valve area and the speed of blood flow across it. A TEE (probe through the esophagus) gives more detail when needed.
• Two main treatments — TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, a catheter-based valve threaded up from a leg artery, usually a 1-2 day hospital stay) and surgical AVR (open-heart valve replacement). Heart team decides based on age, anatomy, and surgical risk. See the TAVR Procedure 360° Explorer for the full procedure walk-through.

The aortic stenosis triad — when AS turns urgentKnow the signs

If you have known aortic stenosis (any severity), the appearance of any one of these three symptoms means urgent reassessment. Severe AS plus symptoms is a different disease than asymptomatic AS — survival without treatment drops sharply.

• A — Angina: chest pressure, tightness, or burning with exertion. Goes away with rest.
• S — Syncope: fainting, near-fainting, or extreme lightheadedness — especially with exertion. Most worrisome of the three.
• D — Dyspnea: shortness of breath with activities you used to do without thinking. Often the first symptom in older adults.

Track these in your Health Passport. Tell your cardiology team early — the timing of valve replacement is the headline decision in AS.

Your daily Force FieldLive It

• Track your symptoms in your Health Passport — angina, syncope, dyspnea, fatigue. The story your team needs is in your day-to-day, not in a single visit.
• Annual (or twice-yearly) echocardiogram — frequency depends on severity. Mild AS = every 3-5 years. Moderate = every 1-2 years. Severe = every 6-12 months. Bring your last report to every appointment.
• Treat related conditions aggressively — high BP, high cholesterol, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea. They all add load to a stressed heart.
• Dental hygiene + endocarditis awareness — bacteria from gum infections can seed prosthetic or damaged valves. Keep teeth clean. Ask about antibiotic prophylaxis before dental work if you have a prosthetic valve or prior endocarditis.
• Activity tailored to severity — walking and light activity are usually safe. Heavy lifting, intense exertion, and competitive sport need clearance — especially in severe AS.
• Hydration + caution with new meds — diuretics, vasodilators, and some BP meds need careful titration in severe AS. Always tell new prescribers about your valve.
• Pre-procedure prep if TAVR or surgical AVR is on the calendar — pre-op clinic, dental clearance, anesthesia review, and household plan for recovery.
• Cardiac rehab after valve replacement — start within weeks. Cuts mortality and improves recovery dramatically.

Red flags — call nowAction

• Call your clinic the same day for: new chest discomfort with exertion that goes away with rest (stable angina worth evaluating); a missed dose of antiplatelet or statin; medication side effects (muscle aches, bleeding, GI symptoms).
• Bring up at next visit: any change in exercise tolerance, lipid follow-up timing, BP log review, smoking-cessation support, depression screening, sleep concerns.