Aortic Valve Stenosis: What Increases Your Risk

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What Increases Your Risk

Certain medical problems or conditions make it more likely that you will develop aortic valve stenosis:

• Calcium buildup. Aging can cause calcium buildup around the aortic valve, which can make the normally thin and flexible valve flaps thick and stiff. This is also called calcific aortic valve stenosis. It is unclear why some people develop calcium buildup while others don't. This calcium buildup may be related to the same process that causes atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. In fact, many of the things that increase the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease are the same for aortic valve stenosis. They include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and being male.^{4, 5}
• Birth defect. Sometimes a person is born with a bicuspid aortic valve that has two flaps instead of the normal three. Over time, the valve becomes damaged and calcium builds up. As the valve narrows, less blood can flow through it.
• Infection. Rheumatic fever can cause scar tissue to build up at the edges of the valve. The scar tissue binds the corners of the flaps together, limiting their ability to open fully. The most common cause of rheumatic fever is strep throat that has not been treated. Because antibiotics have been widely used to treat strep throat, rheumatic fever has been uncommon in the United States since the 1970s.
• Artificial valve. Aortic valve disease also may develop in an artificial aortic valve that is made from human or animal tissue.

Other things that increase the risk for aortic valve stenosis include:

• Being male. Men are at higher risk than women.
• Atherosclerosis. In some studies, the buildup of plaque in the arteries has been associated with aortic valve stenosis.
• Kidney failure.
• Smoking.

Last updated:	November 14, 2007
Author:	Robin Parks, MS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, George Philippides, MD - Cardiology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC