Treating Moderate Aortic Stenosis: Too Early or Too Late?

This article will consider treatment strategies for moderate AS, including early surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement and medical therapy.Recent findingsThere are few randomized controlled trials dedicated to medical and surgical therapies for moderate AS. Statins, antihypertensive agents and bisphosphonates have not consistently demonstrated an effect on AS progression, timing of aortic valve replacement, or improvement in patient outcomes. Early surgical intervention for patients with concomitant left ventricular dysfunction has been studied in a retrospective manner and appears promising.SummaryAside from the routine management of comorbidities (i.e., coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia), no specific treatment is recommended that is exclusively directed towards moderate AS. Clinicians should maintain a high vigilance for AS progression and the development of symptoms. Given the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a randomized controlled trial is underway to evaluate its benefits in patients with moderate AS and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research