Aortic Stenosis

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Aortic Stenosis Diagnosis & Tests

Examination shows a palpable chest thrill or heave (vibration or movement felt by holding the hand over the heart). There is almost always a heart murmur, click, or other abnormal sound on auscultation (examination of the chest with a stethoscope). There may be a faint pulse or changes in the quality of the pulse in the neck (the change in pulse is known as pulsus parvus et tardus). Blood pressure may be low.

Aortic stenosis and/or enlargement of the left ventricle may be revealed on:

• left cardiac catheterization
• echocardiogram (sonogram test of the heart)
• Doppler ultrasonography
• transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
• chest X-ray may show dilation of the aorta.

An ECG may show left-ventriclar enlargement or arrhythmias (unusual pattern of heart beats) such as ventricular tachycardia or sinus bradycardia.

This disease may also alter the results of the following:

• a chest MRI
• an aortic angiography