Aortic stenosis: A review.

The prevalence of aortic stenosis has been increasing in recent decades, and nurse anesthetists are more likely to encounter this problem as the population ages. Fortunately, the widespread use of echocardiography has expanded our understanding of valvular heart disease. The purpose of this course is to evaluate the current literature regarding aortic stenosis with a focus on anesthetic management. The 2 most common causes of aortic stenosis are calcific tricuspid disease and congenital bicuspid valves. An inflammatory, atherosclerotic disease process also has been identified in aortic stenosis. Patients with aortic stenosis are at high risk for perioperative cardiac complications. Anesthetic management often includes invasive hemodynamic monitoring and carefully tailored anesthetic techniques.