Aortic stenosis
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Cardiachigh priorityneeds review
Aortic stenosis
Also testable as: AS, Aortic valve stenosis
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Calcification, congenital bicuspid valve, or rheumatic valve disease narrows the aortic valve opening.
- The left ventricle must pump against obstruction, reducing forward flow especially with exertion.
Medications
No specific medication class was seeded for this card.
Nursing actions
- Assess exertional chest pain, syncope, dyspnea, murmur, fatigue, and heart failure signs.
- Report syncope, chest pain, or new/worsening dyspnea promptly.
- Teach activity pacing and follow-up for echocardiogram or valve intervention evaluation.
Complications
- Heart failure
- Dysrhythmias
- Syncope injury
- Sudden cardiac death
NCLEX cues
- Angina, syncope, dyspnea with systolic murmur.
- Avoid assuming fainting after exertion is benign.
Memory hooks
- Aortic stenosis blocks blood out.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Echocardiogram
- Cardiac auscultation
- ECG
- Exercise testing only when ordered and stable
Review notes
- Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.