Aortic Stenosis/Cramps

[Rich69]

My 56 year old wife has been diagnosed with aortic stenosis.  Cardiologist indicates severe, urgent, pin hole.  Echo Cardiogram done.  No bypasses appear necessary.  Appointment with surgeon scheduled for 3/12/08.  Wife is experiencing severe leg cramps when laying down to sleep.  The last two days she has had to sleep in a sitting up position.  Should we consider emergency room treatment in order to have procedure performed (valve replacement) sooner?  Don't know the sense of urgency.  Dr. indicates severe, and that we need to take her in if things get worse.  How much worse can it get before we have an emergency?

[kenkeith]

Your wife should seek immediate medical intervention.  There is a high risk to cardiomyopathy and then a loss of left ventricle functionality (can happen quickly).  When left ventricle dysfunction occurs and with an enlarged heart there are major medical problems to the extent the the enlarged heart requires treatment and sometimes not successfully.