Patient/caregiver was educated that signs and symptoms of aortic stenosis can vary from mild to severe depending on the degree of stenosis, severity of obstruction to the blood flow, and the extent of vital organ compromise.
Patient/caregiver was educated regarding signs and symptoms as follows:
- Increased workload of the heart
- Pumping blood through the stenotic or incompletely open valve needs extra effort by the heart muscle.
- Extra effort by the heart must be compensated enough by extra blood and oxygen supply.
- But, since blood and oxygen supply is already compromised in an individual with stenosis, any extra workload on the heart can result in chest pain and discomfort.
- Heart failure
- Progressive back-up of blood can result in symptoms of heart failure and over time, this increased blood volume and pressure in heart can result in enlargement of the heart, progressive weakening of heart muscle, and heart failure. Patients can present with symptoms of heart failure, such as, fluid retention in the chest leading to difficulty in gas exchange in the lungs, swelling of the extremities with pitting edema, and grossly limited exercise tolerance with exacerbation of episodes of shortness of breath. Patients also present with progressively reduced output from the heart and consequently, reduced blood supply to the vital organs.
- Diminished function of vital organs
- Compromised blood and oxygen supply to the vital organs affect their function gradually. Blood supply could be reduced to all organs, such as, brain, heart, lung, stomach, and kidneys, affecting their function.
