AORTIC STENOSIS: MEDICAL AND SURGICAL MANAGEMENT.

This article focuses on aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis (AS) has become the most frequent valvar heart disease and the most frequent cardiovascular disease after hypertension and coronary artery disease in Europe and North America. It primarily presents as calcific AS in adults of advanced age. During a long latent period with increasing outflow tract obstruction, which results in increasing left ventricular pressure load, patients remain asymptomatic and acute complications are rare. However, as soon as symptoms such as exertional dyspnoea, angina, or dizziness and syncope occur, outcome becomes dismal.