Copyright © 2004 by the European Society of Cardiology.
Editorial
Role of BNP in patients with severe asymptomatic aortic stenosis
University of Texas Medical Center, Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX, USA
* Correspondence to: Dr. Steven R. Bailey, University of Texas Medical Center, Mail Code 7872, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229-3901, USA. Tel.: +1 210 5674601; fax: +1 210 5676960 (E-mail: baileys@uthscsa.edu).
| The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below. |
This editorial refers to "Predictors of outcome in patients with severe aortic stenosis and normal left ventricular function: role of B-type natriuretic peptide"
by P. Lim et al. on page 2048
Senile degenerative valvular aortic stenosis affects approximately 2% of the population over the age of 65. Aortic stenosis impedes left ventricular emptying and increases left ventricular wall stress, which leads to elevation of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. Aortic stenosis progresses slowly, allowing the left ventricle to develop concentric hypertrophy, which normalizes wall stress. These compensatory mechanisms maintain cardiac output for several years, during which time the patient remains asymptomatic. Development of haemodynamically significant aortic stenosis (aortic valve area <1.0 cm2) is associated with symptoms of exercise-induced angina, syncope and dyspnoea. Lim et al.,1 in this issue of the
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?
Related articles in EHJ:
- Predictors of outcome in patients with severe aortic stenosis and normal left ventricular function: role of B-type natriuretic peptide
- Pascal Lim, Jean Luc Monin, Mehran Monchi, Jérome Garot, Agnès Pasquet, Luc Hittinger, Jean Louis Vanoverschelde, Alain Carayon, and Pascal Gueret
EHJ 2004 25: 2048-2053.[Abstract] [Full Text]