Echocardiography Techniques II Exam 2 Practice

Degenerative calcific aortic stenosis is the type most commonly seen in adults and develops as part of aging. The valve leaflets become sclerotic and accumulate calcium, which makes them thick, stiff, and less able to open fully during systole. This process narrows the valve orifice gradually while the surrounding annulus remains relatively normal, so early on the orifice can appear less severely reduced even though the leaflets are calcified and stiff. Over time, the calcification progresses and the stenosis becomes hemodynamically significant, producing the characteristic elevated pressure gradient across the valve.

Rheumatic stenosis tends to involve deformity from inflammatory fusion of the commissures and often affects other valves, not simply aging-related calcification. A congenital bicuspid valve causes stenosis earlier in life due to abnormal valve structure, not as a consequence of aging. Infective endocarditis can damage valves but is not the typical origin of chronic, age-related aortic stenosis.