Low gradient aortic stenosis: assessment, treatment, and outcome.
Aortic stenosis is a commonly encountered valvular disorder in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Generally, symptomatic patients who undergo valve replacement experience a vast reduction in symptoms and a great improvement in survival. A subset of symptomatic patients in whom management is less clear are those with a small transvalvular gradient and low cardiac output, or low gradient aortic stenosis. The assessment, treatment, and outcome of this unique group of patients will be reviewed.