Aortic stenosis: The Daily PANCE Blueprint
An elderly patient reports exertional dyspnea, chest pain, and syncope. These are classic for which valvular disorder?
A. Aortic stenosis
B. Aortic regurgitation
C. Mitral regurgitation
D. Mitral stenosis
E. Tricuspid regurgitation
Answer and topic summary
The answer is A. Aortic stenosis
Aortic stenosis classically presents with a triad of exertional dyspnea, angina, and syncope—especially in elderly patients. The stenotic aortic valve causes fixed cardiac output, which limits the heart’s ability to increase blood flow during exertion, leading to syncope and dyspnea. The increased left ventricular pressure needed to overcome the narrowed valve also contributes to myocardial ischemia (angina) even in the absence of CAD. On auscultation, it is associated with a crescendo-decrescendo systolic murmur best heard at the right upper sternal border, often radiating to the carotids. Surgical valve replacement is the definitive treatment in symptomatic patients.
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Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Cardiology ⇒ ⇒
