How his aortic stenosis treated?

There are no medications known to slow the progression of aortic stenosis. If you are diagnosed with aortic stenosis in a mild form, your cardiologist will follow the progression of aortic stenosis with regular ultrasounds of the heart. Once symptoms of aortic stenosis are present and/or the aortic stenosis is clearly severe on ultrasound, there are two main forms of treatment:

1) Aortic valve surgery. Up until 15 years ago, this was the only treatment available for patients with aortic stenosis. This usually involves open heart surgery, in which the chest is opened, the patient is put on cardiopulmonary bypass, the diseased aortic valve is removed, and a new aortic valve is sewn into place. Most patient spent 4-6 days recovering in the hospital following surgical valve replacement.

2) Transcatheter aortic valve replacement. In the last 15 years, there has been rapid advancement in technology that now allows us to implant a new aortic valve without open heart surgery. This is most commonly done via the large artery in the groin. Many patients go home the next day, and most go home within 2 days.