Aortic stenosis and hypertension, an afterload analysis

Abstract

The superimposition of hypertension in patients with aortic stenosis sets up two resistors (valve and arterial) aligned in series. The sum of these two resistances can lead to a significant increase in cardiac afterload, with deleterious effects. This paper explores these issues using formulas derived from Ohm’s law, and makes a case for careful treatment of hypertension in aortic stenosis (AS) patients.