Better Health 34 ENG

says Dr. Wattanaphol Phipathananunth,
Cardiologist “In valvular stenosis the
aortic valve that separates the left
ventricle and the body’s main blood
delivery artery (aorta), does not fully
open, which then restricts blood flow
to the aorta.”
Dr. Wattanaphol compares the aortic
valve to a water valve functioning
between a pump and main discharge
pipe: when the water valve is closed or
partially opened, water cannot flow out
freely. Similarly, if doctors can’t fix the
heart’s valve, they must replace it.
Aortic stenosis has three levels of
severity: mild, moderate, and severe.
For severe stenosis, the valve is barely
open, requiring valvular replacement.
Untreated, valvular stenosis could
result in death within two to five years
after diagnosis.
Causes and symptoms
Aortic stenosis commonly afflicts
the elderly during the body’s natural
degeneration. The aortic valve calcifies,
which causes it to thicken and narrow.
A hallmark symptom is fatigue and
exhaustion from everyday activities.
Some patients may faint, have tight chest
pains, chest oppression, and pulmonary
edema making them unable to lay flat.
“Patients come to us with general heart
disease symptoms of fatigue and exhaustion,
but we are unable to pinpoint
the specific problem without a detailed
diagnosis,” says Dr. Wattanaphol.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis requires assessing the
patient’s medical history, a general
physical examination, and specific
cardiac examination (usually an electrocardiogram
(EKG) and an echocardiogram)
to evaluate the level of valvular
stenosis. For levels one or two, a valvular
replacement is not required. But in
severe aortic stenosis, the physician will
consider valvular replacement for
treatment.
Treatment methods
There are two treatment methods for
an aortic stenosis.
“ If the medical team
considers open heart
surgery too risky, we
recommend TAVI to
reduce complications”
Dr. Wattanaphol Phipathananunth
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