Proactive Management and Treatment of Aortic Stenosis: An International Expert Perspective.

Abstract

The 2025 European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery guidelines mark a pivotal change, challenging the paradigm of symptom-driven watchful waiting, and supporting earlier treatment in many patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Building on this foundation, this international expert perspective advocates a comprehensive, proactive management strategy and offers clinicians a contemporary operational framework for managing severe aortic stenosis. Key evidence-based elements include early referral to the multidisciplinary Heart Valve Team, streamlined evaluation, upstream testing, prompt aortic valve replacement in many asymptomatic patients, more urgent treatment for symptomatic patients, and structured surveillance involving close working relationships between the referring clinician and Heart Valve Team when intervention is deferred. This proactive evidence-based model aims to improve timeliness, efficiency, and equity of care, thereby reducing preventable morbidity and mortality and improving long-term outcomes.