الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract AS is an insidious disease with a long latency period followed by rapid progression after the appearance of symptoms, resulting in a high rate of death (approximately 50% in the first 2 years after symptoms appear) among untreated patients. Surgical replacement of the aortic valve reduces symptoms and improves survival in patients with AS, and in the absence of serious coexisting conditions, the procedure is associated with low operative mortality. However, in clinical practice, at least 30% of patients with severe symptomatic AS do not undergo surgery for replacement of the aortic valve, owing to advanced age, left ventricular dysfunction, or the presence of multiple coexisting conditions. For these patients, who are at high surgical risk, a less invasive treatment may be a worthwhile alternative. AS (AS) is the most frequent valvular heart disease in industrialized countries with an increasing prevalence with age in the general population, at 85 years of age, the prevalence of severe AS is 8.1%. Survival is excellent during the asymptomatic phase, but mortality is more than 90% within a few years after the onset of symptoms. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of aortic valve stenosis patients in the Delta region of Egypt as regard to the current causes, diagnostic and treatment strategies to improve the care of those patients. |