Is aortic valve calcification a sign that I am starting to get heart disease?

Answer From Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.

The aortic valve is between the lower left heart chamber and the body's main artery, called the aorta. Aortic valve calcification is a condition in which calcium builds up on the aortic valve. Buildups of calcium can cause the valve opening to become narrow. Severe narrowing can reduce or block blood flow through the aortic valve — a condition called aortic valve stenosis.

Aortic valve calcification may be an early symptom of heart disease, even if there aren't any other heart disease symptoms.

Aortic valve calcification and stenosis tend to affect older adults. When this process happens in younger people, it's often caused by:

  • A heart condition that's present at birth, also called a congenital heart defect, such as bicuspid aortic valve.
  • Other illnesses, such as kidney failure or familial hypercholesterolemia.

Mild buildups of calcium also usually happen with a condition called aortic valve sclerosis. This condition involves thickening and stiffness of the aortic valve. It usually doesn't cause serious heart problems, but it can lead to aortic valve stenosis. If you have aortic valve sclerosis, get regular healthcare checkups to make sure the condition isn't getting worse. If the condition leads to aortic valve stenosis, you may need surgery or other treatments to replace or fix your aortic valve.

With

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.

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July 10, 2024 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Aortic valve disease
  2. Aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement
  3. Aortic valve repair in children
  4. Aortic valve stenosis
  5. Robot-assisted minimally invasive mitral valve repair at Mayo Clinic
  6. Valve problems in children with heart disease: What patients and families should know
  7. Cardiac catheterization
  8. Chest X-rays
  9. Doppler ultrasound: What is it used for?
  10. Echocardiogram
  11. Ejection fraction: What does it measure?
  12. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  13. Fatigue
  14. Flu shots and heart disease
  15. Heart and Blood Health
  16. Heart murmurs
  17. Heart palpitations
  18. Heart valve surgery
  19. Minimally invasive heart surgery
  20. Pseudoaneurysm: What causes it?
  21. Ross procedure
  22. Shortness of breath
  23. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
  24. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
  25. Valve problems in children with heart disease: What patients and families should know
  26. What is TAVR?