{"id":29432,"date":"2019-03-04T18:59:44","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T23:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/?p=29432"},"modified":"2026-01-29T19:20:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T00:20:08","slug":"aortic-stenosis-mortality-incidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2019\/03\/04\/aortic-stenosis-mortality-incidence\/","title":{"rendered":"The Aortic Stenosis &#8220;Danger Zone&#8221; Is Here"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I just spoke with a patient who was recently diagnosed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/aortic-stenosis-valve-heart-narrowing.php\">severe aortic stenosis<\/a>.\u00a0 The nature of our discussion was a bit concerning.\u00a0 So, I wanted to relay the ideas exchanged during our call for all of us to reflect upon and potentially learn from.<\/p>\n<p>To start, the patient is in her golden years and flat-out terrified by the idea of heart surgery.\u00a0 She said to me, &#8220;Adam, I may just pass on the operation and live out my days.\u00a0 I don&#8217;t really feel sick.\u00a0 Just a little tired on walks.&#8221;\u00a0 She continued with fear in her voice and said hesitantly, &#8220;Will&#8230; I&#8230; Be&#8230; Okay?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-29445\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/..\/Images\/aortic-stenosis-danger-zone-yellow.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"314\" \/><br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During my life, I have struggled with communication.<\/p>\n<p>As we all know, there are times to &#8220;sugar coat&#8221; things.\u00a0 And, we all know there are times to be downright explicit.\u00a0 For me&#8230; In this moment&#8230; I chose to be open, honest, caring and extraordinarily explicit about the dangers and life-threatening risks of aortic stenosis.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>The Realities of Heart Valve Disease<\/h2>\n<p>If you are new to this website or have recently been diagnosed with a valvular defect, here are some important facts to consider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>New research indicates that up to 11 million Americans have some form of heart valve disease.<\/li>\n<li>40% of adults have never heard of valvular heart disease.<\/li>\n<li>More than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.valvediseaseday.org\/the-issue\/\">25,000 people die<\/a> from heart valve disorders in the United States every year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The worst part&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Ready?<\/p>\n<p>Heart valve disease is an insidious, mis-understood disease that is under-diagnosed and significantly under-treated. (More about that later.)<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll never forget when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/surgeons\/dr-Vaughn-Starnes-Los+Angeles-California.php\">Dr. Vaughn Starnes<\/a>, my surgeon at Keck Medical Center of USC, said to me, &#8220;Adam, You have a severely calcified aortic valve. I just looked at your echocardiogram in my office. I would not wait to take care of this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/Images\/aortic-stenosispicture-275.jpg\" width=\"275\" height=\"232\" \/>Calcified Aortic Valve<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During that consult, the words that Dr. Starnes spoke did not alarm me.<\/p>\n<p>Nope.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, it was the look in his eyes that made me quickly understand this was a very serious situation.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Aortic Stenosis Incidence &amp; Mortality<\/h2>\n<p>After my consult with Dr. Starnes, I would go on to research just how serious aortic stenosis is.<\/p>\n<p>First off, aortic stenosis is common.\u00a0 According to Dr. Mike Mack, a leading heart surgeon at Baylor Scott &amp; White The Heart Hospital &#8211; Plano, up to 12% of the elderly population have some form of aortic stenosis.<\/p>\n<p>Now&#8230; Take a minute to consider the medical and economic burden that is about to occur as the nation&#8217;s 76 million Baby Boomers enter their peak years of potential cardiac issues.\u00a0 By some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5076539\/\">accounts<\/a>, heart valve disease already costs over $23 billion annually.\u00a0 It&#8217;s going to get worse and much more expensive.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-29440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/..\/Images\/baby-boomer-heart-valve-disease-graph.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"423\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, the real danger of aortic stenosis is not its incidence within the aging population.<\/p>\n<p>Nope.<\/p>\n<p>The scary fact about aortic stenosis is this&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>According to research\u00a0by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eugene_Braunwald\">Dr. Eugene Braunwald<\/a>, once a patient is diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and that patient experiences symptoms, the survival rate is just 50%\u00a0after 24 months.<\/p>\n<p>Gulp!!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-29443\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/..\/Images\/braunwald-aortic-stenosis-chart2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"456\" height=\"325\" \/>Mortality after Onset of Severe Aortic Stenosis Symptoms<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To recap&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Aortic stenosis is common and about to become much more prevalent as the Baby Boomers age.\u00a0 Plus, the disease is a downright killer that is often mis-diagnosed and often un-treated.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>The Under-Treatment of Aortic Stenosis<\/h2>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JhQU0f2Gdfg\">this video<\/a> with Mike Mussallem, the former CEO of Edwards Lifesciences, he notes that less than 20% of patients get treated today.<\/p>\n<p>My goodness!!!<\/p>\n<p>Less than 20 percent???<\/p>\n<p>To contextualize that point, consider the Rose Bowl on New Year&#8217;s Day.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine that the stadium is packed with aortic stenosis patients.\u00a0 Less than 20 percent will get treated!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-29438\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/..\/Images\/aortic-stenosis-undertreatment.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"307\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m no genius.<\/p>\n<p>But, it seems like aortic stenosis is about to transition from a deadly disease into a potential epidemic.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Getting After Aortic Stenosis<\/h2>\n<p>The good news is that aortic stenosis, which Dr. Michael Mack and other clinicians commonly refer to as a &#8220;Silent Killer&#8221;,\u00a0can be treated.\u00a0 (Fyi, I&#8217;m living proof of that.)<\/p>\n<p>Today, the opportunities for aortic stenosis treatment are fantastic!<\/p>\n<p>In addition to traditional surgical valves that have been around for years and years, there are new sutureless heart valves (e.g. Perceval) and valves with high-tech, anti-calcification processes.\u00a0 There are cow valves, pig valves and mechanical valves designed to help patients choose the right valve for their specific lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, there are also different incision approaches that include sternotomy, minimally invasive port access, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/tavr-procedure.php\/\">non-invasive transcatheter paths<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the recovery from heart surgery is becoming more comfortable thanks to new technologies that minimize post-operative pain including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/learning\/rigid-sternal-fixation\/\">rigid sternal fixation<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/cryoanalgesia-pain.php\">cryoanalgesia<\/a>.\u00a0 Just two days ago&#8230; I received an email from Dennis, one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/surgeons\/dr-Marc-Gerdisch-Indianapolis-Indiana.php\">Dr. Marc Gerdisch&#8217;s patients<\/a>, who described heart surgery as, &#8220;Ton of gain&#8230; Zero pain!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What About The Patient?<\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;re wondering about the patient I mentioned at the beginning of this post&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>I did my best to help her understand the realities of aortic stenosis.<\/p>\n<p>I did my best to help her understand that her 3 to 5 days in the hospital could potentially keep her from being 6 feet underground.<\/p>\n<p>I did my best to help her realize that heart valve surgery can be a small and wonderful chapter in her &#8220;Book of Life&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Was it enough? Did I effectively communicate the aortic stenosis dangers and the treatment opportunities for the patient?<\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t know yet.<\/p>\n<p>The patient thanked me for the call.<\/p>\n<p>The patient said she would probably have surgery.<\/p>\n<p>I really hope she does.<\/p>\n<p>Related Links:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2017\/10\/24\/aortic-stenosis-progression-dr-kevin-accola\/\">Aortic Stenosis Progression: Top 5 Facts Patients Should Know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/aortic-stenosis-valve-heart-narrowing.php\">The Guide to Aortic Stenosis Symptoms, Diagnosis &amp; Treatment\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2016\/09\/15\/calcification\/\">Surgeon Q&amp;A: Aortic Valve Calcification Explained<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Keep on tickin!<br \/>\nAdam<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aortic-stenosis"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29432"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29432\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43265,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29432\/revisions\/43265"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}