Ashley Davidoff
Introduction
Aortic sclerosis is a degenerative disease commonly seen in older patients and caused by wear and tear on the valve as well as an atherosclerotic process. Calcium deposition due to processes similar to atherosclerotic vascular disease is responsible for degenerative aortic valve disease. Histological examination of degenerative valves exhibits inflammatory changes, as seen in atherosclerotic vessels and atherosclerotic risk factors, such as age, male sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, increased LDL, reduced HDL cholesterol, and elevated C-reactive protein predispose to aortic valve calcification. It is commonly seen in association with mitral annular calcification (MAC).If severe, surgical treatment is required.
It results in the progressive calcification of the aortic annulus and/or aortic valve. This disease also induces thickening of the arterial wall. These effects cause heightened pressures in the left ventricle, increasing the risk of heart attack. The aortic annulus is prone to calcification because fatty acid deposits easily accumulate on the aortic surface in juncture with the valves.
The diagnosis of the disease is based on the detection of a calcified annulus or valve by CXR or CTscan while the diagnostic procedure of choice is conventional or transthoracic echocardiography which not only confirms the diagnosis but also assesses the severity of the gradient.
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Aortic Sclerosis Copyright 2008 Introduction Aortic sclerosis is a degenerative disease commonly seen in older patients and caused by wear and tear on the valve as well as an atherosclerotic process. Calcium deposition due to processes similar to atherosclerotic vascular disease is responsible for degenerative aortic valve disease. Histological examination of degenerative valves exhibits inflammatory changes, as seen in atherosclerotic vessels and atherosclerotic risk factors, such as age, male sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, increased LDL, reduced HDL cholesterol, and elevated C-reactive protein predispose to aortic valve calcification. It is commonly seen in association with mitral annular calcification (MAC).If severe, surgical treatment is required. It results in the progressive calcification of the aortic annulus and/or aortic valve. This disease also induces thickening of the arterial wall. These effects cause heightened pressures in the left ventricle, increasing the risk of heart attack. The aortic annulus is prone to calcification because fatty acid deposits easily accumulate on the aortic surface in juncture with the valves. The diagnosis of the disease is based on the detection of a calcified annulus or valve by CXR or CTscan while the diagnostic procedure of choice is conventional or transthoracic echocardiography which not only confirms the diagnosis but also assesses the severity of the gradient.
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