Does aortic stenosis strike women in equal numbers as men?
It’s more frequent in women than in men – about double as many women as men – around 8%, compared to around 4%. The cause of gender disparity isn’t known, to my knowledge. Do women experience heart problems at the same rate as men? Women generally experience most heart problems at rates similar to men, although sometimes later in life. Estrogen [protects] against some types of heart disease. But when women become post-menopausal, the risk becomes similar to men. What does the aortic valve do? There are four heart valves that are responsible for the communication between various chambers of the heart. The aortic valve specifically is the exit valve of the heart. Every time the heart pumps blood, it’s ejected from the heart and leaves by passing through this front door. This little structure is supposed to be one way. Blood should travel through it in one direction and when it’s closed, be water-tight. What causes the aortic valve to malfunction? The valve can malfunction if it doesn’t o
