aortic Sclerosis

[pulzie]

I am 59.yr old female. had an echo which showed all ok but also showed mild aortic sclerosis. This mild sclerosis of the aortic VALVE I presume. I looked @ recent research which suggests this may not be as benign as once thought. My LDL is 140 and HDL 90. All else is OK. If I get My LDL down and control cholesterol will this help. I guess my questions are is this reversible, is my LDL a contributing factor, and do I need to be concerned or just use this opportunity to to deal with a preventative program  moving forward.

[pulzie]

I thank you for your response. It actuallly was helpful but I am still wondering if condition is treated is it reversible or will it always at least be at this level with the idea being to halt it's progression here. When you say a marker for CAD does that  mean that CAD may or may NOT be present based on other factors as well. And is there room for error with this finding based on technicians skill and or who happens to be reading the echo. Thank you again.

[Darcy Green Conaway, MD]

Aortic valve sclerosis has been found to be a marker of atherosclerosis (the disease process that blocks the coronary arteries); it can also eventually go on to become stenosis (narrowing of the valve) and can also cause conduction system problems. You should have your LDL treated aggressively; I would recommend <100. If you are experiencing chest pain you should see a cardiologist to be evaluated for underlying coronary disease. I don't think you need to be panic-level concerned, but certainly you need more aggressive management and should be thoroughly evaluated for possible coronary disease if clinically relevant. Your HDL is very high, which is a good thing!