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Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: aortic stenosis + valve + aortic  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/5/2008)

MedPage Today Results From the SEAS (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic ... MarketWatch - Jul 21, 2008 Aortic stenosis (which involves partial blockage of the aortic valve in the heart) is a relatively common disease among older people in Western populations. ... Simvastatin-Ezetimibe Combination Does Not Slow Progression of ... DG News Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) Cardiosource Vytorin misses primary end point in SEAS study TheHeart.Org StreetInsider.com (subscription) all 40 news articles »  SGP - MRK The Money Times Vytorin Didn't Slow Aortic Valve Disease - Study CNNMoney.com - Jul 21, 2008 The SEAS study tested Zetia and simvastatin in about 1870 Europeans with a heart-valve problem called aortic stenosis. The condition, which involves ... Vytorin didn't help heart valve disease, study reports Houston Chronicle Vytorin falls short in cardiac study MarketWatch Study finds Vytorin doesn't reduce progression of aortic valve disease Trading Markets (press release) FOXNews - Forbes all 924 news articles »  SGP - MRK - OTC:SHRGY Cholesterol Drugs Linked With Cancer Risk The Epoch Times, NY - Aug 1, 2008 The study is known as the SEAS (simvastatin and ezetimibe in aortic stenosis) study. There was some good news from this study. The drug, compared to placebo ... Vytorin - Cancer Link Draws Congressional Scrutiny Newsinferno.com, NY - Aug 1, 2008 Aortic stenosis involves partial blockage of the aortic valve in the heart. Left untreated, it can progress to death from heart failure or cardiac arrest. ... Survival After Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis: Implications ... Cardiosource, DC - Jul 10, 2008 Methods: In a single-center observational clinical study, 3049 patients with aortic stenosis who underwent native aortic valve replacement with a single ... For first time in Israel, heart valves replaced using catheter Jerusalem Post, Israel - Jul 30, 2008 The technique is usually carried out on the mitral valve or the aortic valve. The mitral is located between the upper-left chamber (left auricle) of the ... Oneindia Plant Sterols May Pose Health risk Oneindia, India - Jul 18, 2008 The researchers found that these compounds may accumulate in heart valves and lead to stenosis, abnormal narrowing in blood vessels. Aortic valve stenosis ... Ticker fix spares patient open-heart risk Chicago Sun-Times, United States - Jul 22, 2008 His condition, known as aortic stenosis, left the 93-year-old Barrington man breathless from even the slightest exertion. "He could barely make it from the ... Vytorin Misses the Mark HealthandAge.com - Jul 29, 2008 From these findings, the investigators concluded that intensive cholesterol-lowering does not influence the course of aortic stenosis, but does reduce the ... Endocarditis prophylaxis no longer advised for most cases of ... Medicexchange, UK - Aug 1, 2008 They also "understand" that clinicians may want to continue administering prophylaxis for patients with bicuspid aortic valve or coarctation of the aorta, ...

Aortic Valve Stenosis

This is a narrowing of the opening of the aortic valve. It is due to abnormalities of the valve.

About 5% of heart defects are due to aortic valve stenosis. However, there may be many cases that are not diagnosed. It is likely that this is the most common cardiac defect.

Severe blockage may cause chest pain or feeling a loss of consciousness with activity. Symptoms depend on what caused the blockage.

Sometimes a defective aortic valve becomes blocked when the person is an adult.

Less commonly, the valve defect may occur in infancy. It can produce severe blockages to the flow of blood out of the heart and heart failure.

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More often, symptoms occur in later childhood. They include a blocked aortic valve and a lack of oxygen. There are usually no other symptoms, although a heart murmur can be heard. Abnormal sounds caused by the closing of the valve may also be heard. A complication of the condition can be an infection in the heart.

The narrowing may occur in the valve, below it or above it. Sometimes blockages that happen above the valve because too much calcium is in the blood. They may be accompanied by peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. Blocks below the valve are sometimes caused by a ridge built up of fibers of tissue. They may also be caused by a build-up of muscle.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) can show changes and signs of overdevelopment in the left ventricle.

An X-ray may show a widening of the aorta as it rises. An X-ray may also show excessive growth of the left ventricle. This is true if the blockage has been going on for a long time.

An evaluation using echocardiography, cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography may be needed. These will be used if there are signs of a severe block or, if there are symptoms such as chest pain that occurs with exercise or if a person loses consciousness.

Rarely, these valve problems may occur in infancy, such as poor blood flow, anemia, and heart failure.

The doctor may order ECG tests and X-rays to confirm diagnosis of valve problems.

Treatment will vary depending on the severity and cause of the symptoms.

If the defect causes life-threatening heart failure in infancy, immediate surgery to repair the valve will be necessary. Results from this type of surgery vary. Sometimes the valve will keep working improperly.

Valve replacement is usually needed by mid- to late childhood. Sometimes it can be delayed until adulthood.

If the blockage is caused by a ridge of fiber-like tissue, this tissue will need to be removed. However, the tissue can grow back. Surgery may be needed again.

Antibiotics may be given to prevent infections in the heart.