Aortic stenosis

Abstract

Aortic stenosis (AS) is now the most frequent type of valvular heart disease in Europe and North America. The main etiology leading to hemodynamically significant AS is calcific AS. In adults with advanced age (>65 years) calcific AS is found in approximately 2%-7% of the general population. The second most frequent etiology, which dominates in the younger age group, is congenital AS, whereas rheumatic AS has now become uncommon in Western countries, but remains frequently encountered in developing countries.