Is the combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe effective for patients with aortic stenosis?
Background Aortic stenosis (AS) is a narrowing of the aortic valve, which controls blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta. In AS blood flow is impeded due to the constricted valve; there is increased pressure in the left ventricle, leading to left ventricular hypertrophy. Aortic stenosis affects about 2% of the population >65 years of age and is most commonly caused by calcification of the aortic heart valve.1 Risk factors for AS include age (2-fold increased risk with each decade increase in age), male gender (2-fold excess risk), present smoker, history of hypertension, high lipoprotein (a) levels, and high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. AS is generally asymptomatic in early disease, but symptoms of severe AS include shortness of breath on exertion, angina, dizziness, or syncope, as well as the characteristic systolic murmur.2,3 After the onset of symptoms, survival prognosis is approximately 2 to 3 years without surgical intervention. Aortic valve replace
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