What are the classic symptoms of aortic stenosis?

• A. Chest Pain, Dyspnea on Exertion, and Syncope
• B. Fever, Night Sweats, Weight Loss
• C. Palpitations Only
• D. Cough and Wheeze

Answer: (A)

A key idea is that aortic stenosis causes a fixed, high afterload on the left ventricle. As the valve narrows, the heart struggles to increase stroke volume during activity, so warning signs emerge with exertion: chest pain from demand–supply imbalance to the heart muscle, trouble breathing with exertion due to elevated filling pressures and pulmonary congestion, and fainting during activity from reduced blood flow to the brain when cardiac output can’t rise quickly enough. This triad—chest pain, dyspnea on exertion, and syncope with exertion—is the classic presentation seen with significant aortic valve narrowing.

Other options reflect different problems: fever, night sweats, and weight loss point toward infection or systemic illness; palpitations can occur with various rhythm issues but aren’t the defining trio for aortic stenosis; cough and wheeze align more with respiratory conditions or heart failure symptoms rather than the typical exertional syncope combined with angina and dyspnea specific to aortic stenosis.