Understanding your Heart – What is Aortic Stenosis?

Learn what aortic stenosis is, its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment options like TAVR, from a Montefiore Einstein cardiologist.

By Dr. Edwin C. Ho, Cardiologist, Montefiore Einstein 

Bronx Voice 

February 5, 2026

NEW YORK, NY - Severe aortic stenosis in older adults is one of the most common heart valve problems. This condition causes the aortic valve to become narrower than normal, which makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. It develops over time due to wear and tear on the aortic valve, often combined with risk factors for aortic stenosis, such as being born with an abnormal heart valve, genetic factors for valve disease, history of rheumatic fever, prior chest radiation, and advanced kidney disease and heart valve disease.

As it progresses from mild to moderate to severe aortic stenosis, blood exiting the heart must travel through a very small opening. This reduces the amount of blood pumped out of the heart per heartbeat, including to vital organs and muscles, and increases the workload of the heart muscle due to a narrowed valve.

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Symptoms of worsening aortic stenosis can vary by person and often include progressive fatigue with walking, tiredness during daily activities, chest pain related to aortic stenosis, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and fainting episodes. Some individuals report no noticeable symptoms until severe aortic stenosis develops. In advanced cases, patients may develop heart failure from aortic stenosis and require hospital admission, and in extreme cases may experience sudden cardiac death.

Aortic stenosis diagnosis by echocardiography is the standard approach, using a cardiac ultrasound test to evaluate heart structure and function. Advances in cardiac imaging technology over the past decade have enabled earlier diagnosis of aortic stenosis and a better understanding of heart muscle damage.

A doctor may initially suspect the condition after detecting a heart murmur during a physical exam. Patients diagnosed with aortic stenosis should maintain regular follow-up with a cardiologist and undergo routine echocardiograms to determine when valve replacement is needed. Untreated severe aortic stenosis can cause permanent heart muscle damage and shorten life expectancy, and will ultimately be fatal.

There are currently no medications proven to treat aortic stenosis, but aortic valve replacement is a common and effective treatment. In the United States, the most common approach is Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), a minimally invasive heart valve replacement procedure. TAVR without open-heart surgery uses catheter-based compressed heart valves, typically inserted through a blood vessel in the leg, allowing for faster recovery.

Montefiore Health System offers a comprehensive Heart Valve Center with cardiac valve specialists providing both TAVR procedures and traditional open-heart valve surgery. In 2025, over 400 TAVR procedures at Montefiore were performed, with most patients discharged one day after TAVR and experiencing rapid recovery at home. As the U.S. population ages, the number of people living with aortic stenosis continues to rise.

The most important step for individuals with possible symptoms of aortic stenosis is to see a cardiologist for diagnosis. This allows physicians to determine disease severity and recommend an appropriate treatment plan. For more information about heart valve disease treatment at Montefiore, visit the Montefiore Heart Valve Center website.