How is aortic valve disease diagnosed?
Both narrowed and leaking aortic valves cause the blood flow across the valve to become turbulent. This turbulence creates a sound that can be heard with a stethoscope. This is called a heart murmur. The diagnosis of aortic valvular disease starts with a physical examination in which a heart murmur is heard. Heart murmurs due to the aortic valve have a characteristic sound and location. An echocardiogram, an ultrasound examination of the heart, is a useful way to look at the aortic valve to see if there is significant disease present. The appearance of the leaflets can provide important information as to thickening, mobility and number of leaflets. The amount of leakage and narrowing can be determined by Doppler ultrasound. The effect of the aortic valve disease on the heart function can also be assessed. If the echocardiogram suggests that the aortic valve is significantly diseased to warrant surgical replacement, a cardiac catheterization is usually performed. This is a hospital test
