Aortic valve diseases affect the aortic valve in the heart. The aortic valve is in the left side of the heart, connecting the left ventricle to the aorta. When the aortic valve is not healthy, it can't open or close the right way. This can eventually affect how well your heart works.

Aortic valve diseases can be very mild to very severe. A person might have aortic valve disease for many years and have no symptoms. But for people who do have symptoms, medicine can sometimes help. However, medication can only treat the symptoms of aortic valve problems rather than the cause of them.

In more severe cases of aortic valve disease, an aortic valve replacement may be needed. This is a surgery used to remove an unhealthy aortic valve, and replace it with another valve. In most cases, this surgery can improve the symptoms caused by the defective valve, such as shortness of breath, fainting, fatigue, and swelling in the legs.