Misconceptions about aortic stenosis can be deadly. About 4% of older Americans have been diagnosed with aortic stenosis, and in a recent Alliance survey, relatively few general practice physicians reported feeling confident when diagnosing and recommending treatment for the disease. Most general practitioners and geriatricians choose to refer their patients to a cardiologist instead of diagnosing or treating patients themselves.
A person faces a grim prognosis if aortic stenosis is left untreated. Eight in ten physicians who participated in the survey acknowledged that the preferred treatment of aortic stenosis is aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery, but few Americans are actually receiving the surgery. There could be many barriers to health, including physician misconceptions on contraindications, and patient hesitations because of surgical risks. It is important for physicians to learn more about the disease and treatment options to better educate their patients. Compared to the morbidity rate without surgery, the surgical risks for AVR surgery are relatively small. Frailty without the presence of other chronic diseases is rarely a contraindication to surgery.
If you would like more information on aortic stenosis treatment, you should watch these new videos for primary care physicians. Dr. Jamie M. Brown, Director of Cardiac Transplantation and Assist Devices at the University of Maryland Heart Center, discusses the risk factors, symptoms, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of aortic stenosis.
