What Is Aortic Stenosis?

Aortic stenosis is a common heart valve condition that restricts blood flow from the heart, causing chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. If severe, it may be treated with TAVR valve replacement surgery.

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Updated July 01, 2026

By Hemal Bhatt, MD, Structural Heart Disease Specialist, Virtua Interventional Cardiology

When your heart pumps, four valves open and close to make sure blood flows in the right direction. As the valves open and close, they make the sounds that create your heartbeat.

The aortic valve opens to let blood flow from the heart’s bottom left chamber (left ventricle) to the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. The valve closes to prevent blood from flowing backward into the ventricle.

What is aortic stenosis?

Aortic stenosis is one of the most common heart valve problems. While aortic stenosis can be caused by a congenital heart defect, it more commonly occurs due to the buildup of calcium in the heart as we age. The calcium causes the flaps, or leaflets, of the valve to stiffen, preventing them from opening and closing properly and restricting the amount of blood that flows to the body.

What are the symptoms of aortic stenosis?

Symptoms of aortic stenosis generally do not become apparent until the valve has significantly narrowed. This means you can have aortic stenosis for many years and not know it.

When symptoms of aortic stenosis do occur, they may include:

Chest pain, especially with activity
Trouble breathing
Feeling light-headed or dizzy
Fatigue
Difficulty walking short distances
Inability to do normal, everyday activities

What happens as aortic stenosis progresses?

As the valve continues to narrow, the heart must work harder to pump enough blood to the body. This may cause the left ventricle to thicken, leading to heart failure. This means the heart is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to meet the body’s needs.

How is aortic stenosis diagnosed?

A number of tests are used to diagnose aortic stenosis, monitor its severity, and determine the best treatment. The tests include:

Echocardiogram—An ultrasound of the heart, an echocardiogram (or heart echo), shows how blood flows through the heart. It may be done from outside the body or using a tube inserted down the throat and into the esophagus (transesophageal echocardiogram).
Electrocardiogram (EKG)—Records the electrical activity of your heart through electrodes attached to your skin.
Chest X-ray— Shows the condition of the heart and lungs.
Stress test—Using electrodes applied to your chest, this test monitors your heart’s response as you walk on a treadmill. This may be combined with ultrasound or nuclear images of your heart for a more accurate assessment.
CT or MRI scan—Computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) creates more detailed pictures of the heart.

How is aortic stenosis treated?

Treatment for aortic valve stenosis depends on your symptoms and how severe the condition is. If the stenosis is mild, your cardiologist may recommend heart-healthy lifestyle changes and medications to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol If the stenosis is severe, then you also may need surgery to replace the valve. This may be performed through a procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or open-heart surgery.

What is TAVR?

During the TAVR procedure, the interventional cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon will insert a catheter through an artery in your groin and thread it to your heart. They will position the new valve into the narrowed aortic valve, opening the valve and restoring blood flow.

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is a leading center for TAVR. Most people who undergo TAVR at Virtua go home after just one night in the hospital and can resume regular activities within seven to 10 days.

When should I see a doctor?

Aortic stenosis should not be brushed off as simply getting older. If you experience symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, or simply feel you aren’t able to perform routine daily activities, make an appointment with your doctor.