A Stenotic Aortic Valve

Question

A stenotic aortic valve
A) causes right ventricular hypertrophy and right-sided heart failure.
B) increases afterload, thereby increasing the work of the left ventricle.
C) causes a right-to-left shunt.
D) is a narrowing of the right semilunar valve.

Accepted Answer

A stenotic aortic valve causes an obstruction in the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. This increased resistance to blood flow results in increased afterload on the left ventricle, which means that the left ventricle has to work harder to pump blood out to the body. This increased workload can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy over time. However, it does not cause right ventricular hypertrophy or right-sided heart failure. It also does not cause a right-to-left shunt, as this refers to blood flow from the right side of the heart directly into the left side (bypassing the lungs) which is not associated with aortic stenosis. Additionally, the aortic valve is a semilunar valve on the left side of the heart, not the right.