How does aortic stenosis alter blood pressure?

When considering the impact of aortic stenosis on blood pressure, it's essential to understand the physiological changes that occur. Aortic stenosis is characterized by a narrowing of the aortic valve opening, which impedes the flow of blood from the left ventricle into the aorta during systole.

As a result of this obstruction, the left ventricle has to generate higher pressures to overcome the resistance created by the narrowed valve. This can lead to several alterations in blood pressure dynamics, particularly affecting diastolic blood pressure. In this context, systemic vascular resistance tends to increase due to the left ventricle working harder to pump blood. The diastolic pressure can indeed rise because as the left ventricle contracts forcefully to push blood forward, the pressure in the aorta remains elevated for a longer duration during diastole, which can contribute to an increase in diastolic blood pressure.

Additionally, the obstruction at the level of the aortic valve can create a situation where the systolic pressure may also be impacted, but the critical point in this scenario is the effect on diastolic pressure, which reflects the resistance and workload on the heart in aortic stenosis. The left ventricular hypertrophy that often accompanies this condition also