AS/AR Flashcards
(197 cards)

Bicuspid aortic valve (fused right and left coronary cusps)
Name three nonvalvular types of LVOTO
- hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM)
- membranous subaortic stenosis (subAS)
- supravalvular stenosis
***all occur less frequently than valvular AS
What percentage of the population has BAV?
What is the pathophysiology that leads to accelerated AS?
- 1% of the general population
- more common in men
- congenitally malformed leaflets –> turbulent flow –> accelerated progression of fibrosis –> stenosis
What are signs/symptoms of advanced stages of AS?
- reduced CO
- right-sided heart failure
- A-fib
- pulmonary congestion
- pulmonary hypertension
- peripheral edema
- cachexia
- hepatomegaly
- functional TR
- fatigue
What is an early finding on Echo of AS prior to calcification of the valve?
- M-mode
- eccentric line of diastolic closure
What is the current recommendation for monitoring in:
- severe, asymptomatic AS
TTE every 6-12 months
What percentage of patients with BAV will have first degree family members with BAV?
9%
What is the pathophysiology of AS?
- increased LVOTO
- LV hypertrophy
- attempts to normalize wall stress
- increasing afterload mismatch leads to:
- diastolic dysfunction
- decreased diastolic filling time
- increased LV filling pressures (leads to dyspnea)
- increasing LV hypertrophy can lead to a reduced cavity size –> reduced stroke volume
What are common associations with unicuspid aortic valve (leading to early AS)?
- ascending aortic abnormalities
- coarctation of aorta
- coronary anomalies
- PDA
What is the next best step in an asymptomatic patient with severe AS (AVA 0.47cm2, PV 4.8 m/s)?
- O2 consumption treadmill testing (Cardiopulmonary exercise testing - CPET)
- evolution of completely asymptomatic AS is not benign
- useful in clinical decision making for asymptomatic AS
- development of symptoms or decrease in BP at peak exercise would suggest a more advanced disease state
What percentage of patients > 75 years of age have AS?
Aortic sclerosis?
- 2.6%
- 33%
In Aortic Stenosis:
- What is the average reduction in aortic valve area (AVA) per year?
- What is the average increase in aortic valve gradient (AVG) per year?
- 0.1 cm2
- 7-10 mmHg
What is the mortality risk associated with severe, symptomatic AS?
50% at 2-3 years (if valve replacement not done)
What is one mutation that predisposes to rapid progression of AS in BAV’s?
mutation in the NOTCH 1 genome
What are risk factors in the rate of progression of AS?
- hyperlipidemia
- DM (possibly)
- metabolic syndrome
- smoking
- hypertension
- renal dysfunction
- increasing age
- male gender
- Pagets disease
What are the three most common causes of AS?
- Calcification of a trileaflet valve
- Secondary calcificaiton of a congenital bicuspid aortic valve
- Rheumatic valve disease
What abnormality is always associated with rheumatic AS? Why?
mitral valve abnormalities
- because mitral valve is the initial site of rheumatic involvement in nearly all patients
What are causes of supravalvular AS? (rare in adults)
- Homozygous type II hyperlipoproteinemia
- Ochronosis with alkaptonuria
- Radiation therapy
- Renal failure (accelerated leaflet calcification)
What is the most common initial symptom in adults with severe AS?
What is the best way to determine if this is present?
- decreased exercise capacity
- ask patient’s to compare his/her current exercise capacity with a specific time point (typically 1 year prior)
What is the key physical examination finding in adults with AS?
- systolic ejection-type murmur
- loudest at the cardiac base
- radiates either to the carotids or to the LV apex
- PE is critical for detection of disease but not determination of severity
What are common auscultation findings in severe AS?
- Grade 3-4 murmur (with a thrill)
- Single or paradoxically split second heart sound
-
“Pulsus parvus et tardus”
- Carotid pulse that is decreased in amplitute and delayed in occurrence
What is the anatomical valve abnormality of Congenital bicuspid aortic valves (in order)?
- Left-Right fusion (70-80%)
- Right-NCC fusion (20-30%)
With CAVD, this is a strong predictor of disease progression and clinical outcome?
severity of leaflet calcification
What are the key measures of AS severity?
- Peak aortic velocity
- Mean transaortic gradient













