Aortic Stenosis in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Aortic stenosis is a serious heart condition that affects many older adults in West Michigan, including Grand Rapids. Understanding the signs, risks, and treatment options can help you seek timely care from local cardiology specialists at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or through the Kent County Health Department.

What Is Aortic Stenosis?

The aortic valve sits between the left lower chamber of the heart (left ventricle) and the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.

When the aortic valve is healthy, it opens fully each time the heart contracts, allowing blood to flow freely out to your body.
In aortic stenosis, the aortic valve becomes abnormally narrowed and stiff. This:

• Restricts blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta
• Forces the heart to work harder to pump blood
• Raises pressure inside the left ventricle
• Can cause the heart muscle to thicken and enlarge over time

Without treatment, aortic stenosis can lead to serious complications, including heart failure.

Causes of Aortic Stenosis

Several conditions can damage or stiffen the aortic valve over time. In Grand Rapids and across Michigan, the most common causes include:

Age-Related Degeneration

• Ageing and calcium buildup: As people get older, calcium deposits can build up on the aortic valve leaflets.
• This causes the valve to become scarred, stiff, and narrowed.
• This is the most common cause of aortic stenosis in older adults in West Michigan.

Congenital (Birth) Valve Abnormalities

Some people are born with an abnormal aortic valve, such as:

• Bicuspid aortic valve (two leaflets instead of three)
• Other structural abnormalities

These valves are more likely to become narrowed or thickened earlier in life. Aortic stenosis in these cases may be diagnosed in the teenage years or young adulthood.

Rheumatic Heart Disease

• Caused by acute rheumatic fever, usually following untreated strep throat.
• Can lead to scarring and deformity of the aortic valve.
• This scarring narrows the valve opening and can gradually cause aortic stenosis.

Although rheumatic heart disease is less common in the U.S. now, people who grew up in areas with limited access to antibiotics may still be affected.

Other Risk Factors

Risk factors that increase the chance of developing aortic stenosis include:

• Radiation therapy to the chest
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Chronic kidney disease

These conditions are relatively common in Michigan, especially in older adults, making regular heart checkups important for Grand Rapids residents.

Who Is at Risk in Grand Rapids?

People at higher risk of aortic stenosis include:

• Adults over age 65
• Those with a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol
• People with congenital heart defects, such as a bicuspid aortic valve
• Anyone who has had rheumatic fever
• People who have had radiation treatment to the chest
• Individuals with kidney disease

Cold West Michigan winters can also put extra strain on the heart, especially during snow shoveling or walking on icy sidewalks. If you have risk factors for aortic stenosis, it’s important to talk with your Grand Rapids primary care provider or cardiologist before engaging in strenuous outdoor activity.

Symptoms of Aortic Stenosis

Many people with aortic stenosis have no symptoms for years, even as the valve gradually narrows. Symptoms often appear later in life, after decades of slow progression.

How Symptoms May Start

• The onset of symptoms can be gradual or sudden.
• Symptoms often become noticeable during physical activity, such as:
  • Walking up hills or stairs
  • Shoveling snow in winter
  • Doing yard work in warmer months

Common Symptoms

Contact a doctor in Grand Rapids if you notice:

• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing, especially with activity
• Coughing at night or when lying flat in bed
• Feeling faint, lightheaded, or dizzy
• Palpitations – feeling like your heart is fluttering, racing, pounding, or skipping beats
• Chest pain or tightness, especially with exertion
• Fatigue or feeling unusually tired
• Loss of appetite
• Unintentional weight loss

If you experience sudden severe chest pain, fainting, or difficulty breathing, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department, such as Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital or Trinity Health Grand Rapids Hospital.

How Aortic Stenosis Is Diagnosed in Grand Rapids

Cardiologists in Grand Rapids use several tests to diagnose aortic stenosis and assess its severity.

Medical History and Physical Exam

Your provider will:

• Ask about your symptoms, medical history, and family history
• Listen to your heart with a stethoscope
  • People with aortic stenosis often have a heart murmur (an abnormal “whooshing” sound)

Diagnostic Tests

Common tests include:

• Chest X-ray

  • Checks if the heart is enlarged
  • Looks for signs of fluid in the lungs

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

  • Measures the heart’s electrical activity
  • Can detect abnormal heart rhythms
  • Helps assess if the left ventricle is enlarged

• Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)

  • The key test for aortic stenosis
  • Shows how well the aortic valve opens and closes
  • Measures how narrowed the valve is
  • Evaluates how well the left ventricle is pumping

• CT or MRI scan of the heart

  • Provides detailed images of the aorta and aortic valve
  • Helps determine the severity of narrowing and plan treatment

• Exercise stress test

  • Involves walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while connected to a heart monitor
  • Shows how your heart responds to physical activity
  • Helps identify symptoms that appear only with exertion

• Coronary angiogram (cardiac catheterization)

  • A long, thin tube (catheter) is inserted into an artery in your wrist or groin
  • The catheter is threaded to your heart
  • A special dye is injected, and X-rays are taken
  • Shows how well your heart is pumping and if your coronary arteries are narrowed by plaque

These tests are routinely performed at major Grand Rapids hospitals and cardiology clinics.

Complications of Aortic Stenosis

Without proper treatment, aortic stenosis can lead to serious, potentially life-threatening complications.

Fluid Build-Up in the Lungs (Pulmonary Edema)

• Increased pressure in the left ventricle can raise pressure in the lung blood vessels.
• Fluid may leak into the lungs, causing:
  • Severe shortness of breath
  • Coughing
  • Difficulty breathing when lying flat

Enlarged Heart (Cardiomegaly)

• The left ventricle thickens and enlarges to cope with the extra workload.
• Over time, this reduces the heart’s pumping ability.
• The heart enlarges further in an attempt to adapt, which can eventually lead to heart failure.

Heart Failure

• The heart can no longer pump blood and oxygen effectively to meet the body’s needs.
• Symptoms include:
  • Swelling in the legs or ankles
  • Severe fatigue
  • Shortness of breath with minimal activity or at rest

Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Arrhythmias)

• Changes in the shape and size of the heart can disrupt its electrical system.
• This can cause:
  • Irregular heartbeats
  • Rapid heart rates
  • Fluttering sensations in the chest

Some arrhythmias are life-threatening and require urgent treatment.

Treatment Options for Aortic Stenosis in Grand Rapids

The right treatment depends on:

• How severe the valve narrowing is
• Your symptoms
• Your age and overall health
• Other medical conditions

Cardiology teams at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health offer a full range of treatments.

Lifestyle Changes and Monitoring

For people with mild aortic stenosis or no symptoms, your cardiologist may recommend:

• Regular monitoring (“watchful waiting”)
  • Periodic echocardiograms to track valve changes
• Being physically active, as advised by your doctor
  • Avoid activities that clearly worsen symptoms
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Managing blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and kidney disease
• Quitting smoking and avoiding tobacco exposure
• Following a heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean-style diet

Surgical and Interventional Procedures

If the aortic valve is severely narrowed or symptoms are significant, procedures may be needed.

Aortic Valve Replacement (Open-Heart Surgery)

• The damaged valve is removed and replaced with:
  • A mechanical valve (artificial)
  • A biologic (tissue) valve from animal or human tissue
• This is a type of open-heart surgery.
• Sometimes, your own pulmonary valve is moved to replace the aortic valve:
  • This is called a pulmonary autograft or Ross procedure.
• Typically performed at major heart centers such as Spectrum Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI/TAVR)

• Also called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).
• A less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery.
• A new valve is inserted inside the damaged aortic valve using a catheter.

How TAVI/TAVR works:

1. You are given a general or local anesthetic.
2. A catheter with a balloon and new valve at its tip is inserted into an artery in your groin or under your collarbone.
3. The catheter is guided into your heart.
4. The new valve is placed inside your narrowed aortic valve.
5. The balloon is inflated to expand the new valve, then deflated and removed.

The procedure usually takes 1–2 hours and often allows for a shorter hospital stay compared to open-heart surgery.

Balloon Valvuloplasty

• A procedure to stretch and widen the aortic valve to improve blood flow.
• A catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and threaded up to the heart.
• The tip of the catheter is placed inside the aortic valve.
• A balloon is inflated to stretch the valve, then deflated and removed.

Balloon valvuloplasty is usually:

• A temporary measure
• Used to relieve symptoms when other options are not appropriate or available
• Often followed by additional surgery or procedures later in life

Living With Aortic Stenosis in Grand Rapids

With proper treatment and regular follow-up, many people with aortic stenosis live active lives in West Michigan.

Tips for local residents:

• Keep regular appointments with your Grand Rapids cardiologist or primary care doctor.
• Be cautious with cold-weather activities, like snow shoveling; ask your doctor what’s safe for you.
• Use local resources such as:
  • Kent County Health Department
  • Grand Rapids Public Health programs
  • Local cardiac rehabilitation programs at Spectrum Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids

Seek immediate medical care if your symptoms suddenly worsen.

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, MI

If you are concerned about aortic stenosis or have symptoms:

• Contact your GP / primary care provider in Grand Rapids
• Ask for a referral to a cardiologist
• Utilize local resources:
  • Spectrum Health cardiology clinics
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids heart and vascular services
  • Metro Health and Mercy Health cardiology programs
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health for education and screening information
  • National organizations such as the American Heart Association for additional guidance

Key Points About Aortic Stenosis

• The aortic valve sits between the left ventricle and the aorta (the body’s main artery).
• Age-related calcium buildup is the most common cause of aortic stenosis in older adults.
• Over time, congenital or rheumatic abnormalities can cause the valve to narrow and thicken.
• Risk factors include rheumatic heart disease, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and chest radiation.
• Complications can include fluid in the lungs, high blood pressure, heart enlargement, heart failure, and dangerous heart rhythms.
• Treatments range from lifestyle changes and monitoring to aortic valve replacement, TAVI/TAVR, and balloon valvuloplasty.
• Early diagnosis and care from Grand Rapids heart specialists can significantly improve outcomes.