Aortic Stenosis progression

Heart arrhythmias. This is one of the most frequent complications after a valve operation, with atrial fibrillation and cardiac blocks being the most common. They are usually transitory and resolved with pharmacological treatment, although they may increase the length of the hospital stay and, in some cases, require further invasive procedures, such as the implantation of a pacemaker. 

Serious complications or post-operative mortality. The risk of serious complications or death after surgery is generally very low and there are tools available to measure this risk prior to surgery as well as to use this information when making decisions and selecting the best treatment for patients.

Complications of the disease itself. With time, rheumatic valve disease may affect other heart valves that were working properly at the time of the first surgery. 

Complications of treatment. This includes the degeneration of biological prostheses that, some years after being implanted, may require further surgery due to their progressive dysfunction. 

Infective endocarditis. This is a serious infection of the heart valves that all patients with valvular disorders or valve implants have a higher risk of contracting. For this reason, it is essential that patients are careful about maintaining their oral health and undergo adequate antibiotic prophylaxis before any dental intervention.

Thromboembolic complications. Many valvular heart diseases increase the risk of thromboembolic complications for various reasons, including the alteration of the diseased valve itself, the appearance of atrial fibrillation (the most frequent arrhythmia in these patients), and the presence of valve prostheses, mainly mechanical. For these reasons, many patients are treated with oral anticoagulants (Sintrom® is the most commonly used), which reduce the risk of experiencing these types of complications.