Description

Aortic stenosis is an attack most often acquired from the aortic valve corresponding to a defect of opening of this valve. Its prevalence increases with age and approaches 2% at age 65 and 25% at age 85 . It is in the majority of cases degenerative due to the development of calcifications on the aortic sigmoid valves by a process close to atherosclerosis (Otto CM, Circulation, 1994). It is associated with cardiovascular risk factors (age, male sex, smoking, high blood pressure and associated high LDL cholesterol). Aortic stenosis may also frequently be the consequence of aortic bicuspid (congenital) or more rarely rheumatic fever.

Aortic stenosis is responsible for an obstacle to ejection of the left ventricle with increased afterload and thus left ventricular work. After a long asymptomatic period when the obstacle to ejection is compensated by the induction of an adaptive left ventricular hypertrophy, symptoms appear initially of effort (dyspnea, angina, lipothymia see syncope) then clinical signs of insufficiency heart. The occurrence of symptoms should cause aortic valve replacement because at this stage the prognosis becomes unfavorable with a risk of death by cardiac decompensation or sudden death.

The two pillars of the diagnosis of severity are the evaluation of functional aortic valve area and the average transvalvular gradient. The tight aortic stenosis is defined for a functional aortic area \<1cm² or 0.6cm² / m² and a mean tranvular gradient\> 40 mmHg.

Patient survival data and / or a possible complication or indication for surgery will be evaluated periodically either during a standard follow-up consultation if patients are followed in the referral center or by telephone contact with the attending physician or cardiologist. . In case of death, the cause and date will be collected.