Mark Victoria*
Calcific aortic stenosis (AS) is one of the most prevalent valvular heart diseases in the Western world.The increased afterload imposed by the narrow aortic valve area on the left ventricle induces a remodelling process, which is initially characterized by adaptive left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Long-standing AS further induces myocardial fibrosis, heart failure, and poor outcome. Therefore, alongside presence of symptoms and severity of AS, timely assessment of LV systolic dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the decision for referral to aortic valve replacement (AVR).
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