Aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aortic valve, frequently occurs alongside cardiac amyloidosis, a condition where abnormal protein deposits accumulate in the heart muscle. Both conditions are notably risky for older adults,substantially increasing mortality risk. Research published in the European Heart Journal indicates that a combined approach-aortic valve replacement coupled with specific drug treatment-provides a notable survival advantage.

The international research team, including Christian Nitsche from MedUni Vienna and Thomas Treibel from University College London, analyzed data from 226 patients across ten countries who had both aortic stenosis and cardiac amyloidosis. their findings confirm that addressing both conditions simultaneously yields the best outcomes.

Dual Treatment Shows Promise

The study demonstrated that both aortic valve replacement and treatment with tafamidis, a drug used for amyloidosis, independently lowered the risk of death. Though, the most significant survival benefits were observed in patients who underwent both treatments.According to study leader Christian Nitsche,”Our results even show that patients with both conditions who received valve replacement and specific amyloidosis therapy had similar long-term survival rates to people with aortic stenosis without amyloidosis.”

Our findings also suggest that patients with severe aortic valve stenosis should be screened for amyloidosis.

The Importance of Screening

Aortic stenosis restricts blood flow from the heart, while cardiac amyloidosis weakens the heart muscle. If left unaddressed, both conditions can be fatal. While valve replacement alleviates the mechanical strain from aortic stenosis, targeted drug therapy can slow the progression of amyloidosis. alarmingly, approximately ten percent of aortic stenosis patients also have undiagnosed amyloidosis. Christian Nitsche emphasizes the need for increased screening: “Our findings also suggest that patients with severe aortic valve stenosis should be screened for amyloidosis so that we can offer them targeted life-prolonging treatment options.”