Detecting Hidden
Symptoms

Detecting Hidden
Symptoms

Patients trust you to know when their severe AS is symptomatic, even when they are not reporting symptoms

Many diagnostic reports may not be enough to uncover severe aortic stenosis (AS), so it's important to dig deeper to uncover your patients' true severity.1

Severe AS patients may underreport symptoms, delaying treatment. Even when asked, patients may intentionally withhold important information and not report common AS symptoms, including:

Shortness of breath

Fatigue

Angina

Swollen ankles and feet

Syncope or pre-syncope

Difficulty when exercising

Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Palpitations

Help your patients talk about their symptoms2

Select a patient perception to see a possible communication solution.

Patient perception
Could blame severe aortic stenosis symptoms on old age or adapt their lifestyles to manage them

What you can do

  • Remind patients to share all physical changes with you
  • Ask patients to describe changes to activities/hobbies to highlight overlooked symptoms

What you can do

  • Give self-conscious patients time to consider what you've said and respond appropriately

What you can do

  • Help patients understand how any heart-related concern can impact their AS
Download the Patient Symptoms Tracker

Are you looking beyond the classic symptoms of Symptomatic Severe AS?3

Classic symptoms of severe AS like shortness of breath, chest pain, or syncope aren't the only symptoms. Diagnosing the proper severity depends on being able to see the symptoms of severe AS, even when they aren't obvious. When valve disease progresses slowly, patients may deny symptoms as they gradually limit their activity.4 When patients aren't reporting symptoms, an exercise test can help you truly diagnose if their severe AS is worsening. Exercise testing is an essential tool for assessing and tracking severe aortic stenosis symptoms and in some instances can greatly impact the timing of intervention.4-5

Up to 38% of severe AS patients who did not initially report symptoms revealed symptoms during exercise testing.6

Recommended resources

See all resources
Patient Symptom Tracker
Doctor Discussion Guide
Severe Aortic Stenosis (SAS) Patient Pathway Tool

Once you recommend an aortic valve replacement, as many as 1 out of 10 symptomatic severe AS patients may have less than 6 months to live without treatment.7  Help decrease treatment delays.

Guide them to a Heart Team   for a TAVI evaluation

References:   1. Tang L, et al. Contemporary Reasons and Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Severe, Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis Not Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement. Circ Cardiovas Interv 2018; 11:e007220.DOI:10..1161. 2. Ventura HO, Piña IL. Health Literacy: An Important Clinical Tool in Heart Failure. Mayo Clin Proc. 2018 Jan;93(1):1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.11.009. Epub 2017 Dec 6. PMID: 29217334. 3. 2019 AATS/ACC/ASC/SCAI/ STS Expert Consensus of Care Document: A Proposal to Optimize Care for Patients with Valvular Heart Disease. 4. Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, et al. 2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients with Valvular Heart Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020. Epublished DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.11.018. 5. Das P, et al. Exercise testing to stratify risk in aortic stenosis. Eur Heart J 2005;26:1309-1313. 6. Leon MB, Mack MJ. PARTNER 3: transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement in low risk patients with aortic stenosis. Presented at ACC 2019; March 2019; New Orleans, LA. 7. Malaisrie SC, McDonald E, Kruse J, et al. Mortality while waiting for aortic valve replacement. Ann Thorac Surg. 2014;98:1564-71.