Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Medical Associates Clinic is the first provider in Dubuque and the Tri-state area to offer TAVR.
The Medical Associates TAVR Team, which includes experienced cardiac surgeons and cardiologists, uses the TAVR procedure as a minimally invasive treatment option for qualifying patients diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis.
Aortic Stenosis is a progressive disease that keeps the aortic heart valve from opening and closing properly. The heart then must work harder to push blood through the valve. Eventually, it weakens, increasing the patient’s risk of heart failure.
TAVR may be an option for people who have been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis, depending on their risk for open heart surgery. TAVR is a less-invasive approach to aortic valve replacement than open heart surgery. With the TAVR procedure, the doctor will make a small incision, usually in your groin. A thin, flexible tube is inserted into the artery to guide the heart valve up to your heart, and the valve is expanded into place. It does not remove your old valve, it fits within the diseased valve.
What are the Symptoms of Aortic Stenosis?
The symptoms of aortic stenosis are commonly misunderstood by patients as "normal" signs of aging.
Symptoms:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Difficulty walking short distances
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, and fainting
- Swollen ankles and feet
- Rapid heartbeat
- Chest pain
- No longer taking part in physical activities you used to enjoy
It's important to know that heart valve disease may occur with no outward symptoms.
Risk Factors for Aortic Stenosis:
- Increasing in age
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Deformed aortic valve
- Family history
If you or your doctor think you have aortic stenosis, the TAVR Team at Medical Associates will conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the most appropriate treatment option for you.
