Question

A 33 year old woman reporting exertional chest pain undergoes a Doppler echocardiogram, which shows concentric thickening of the left ventricle, thickened aortic valve leaflets and a 67 mmHg pressure gradient from the left ventricle to the aortic root.

1) Why does this patient have chest pain upon exertion?

2) Would you expect there to be a change in this patient’s EF and CO?

3) What is the ling term prognosis for this patient in terms of cardiac function?

Answer 1

The patient has aortic stenosis, which has created a chronic obstruction to left ventricular outflow. This in turn has caused hypertrophy of the left ventricle, which decreases its compliance. Low compliance Interferes with diastolic filling of the ventricle, leading to low preload, not high. Aortic valve stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve in theheart. Symptoms include chest pain, fainting, and shortness of breath. Because the valves do not open or close normally, blood flow through the heart is impaired.