Aortic sclerosis epidemiology and demographics

Overview
Aortic sclerosis is non-obstructive degeneration of the aortic valve that presents predominantly in patients over 65 years of age who have risk factors for coronary artery disease. Because aortic sclerosis is associated with coronary artery disease risk factors, it is also associated with a significant increase in the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction even in the absence of hemodynamically significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Age
Aortic sclerosis commonly affects those aged 65 years and over.

In a large cohort study of 5,201 patients, aortic sclerosis was present in ~37% patients > 75 years of age while aortic stenosis was seen only in 2.6% of patients > 75 years of age. Aortic sclerosis was even more common in another study of 425 patients with a mean age of 68 +/- 15 years who presented to an emergency room with chest pain. The rate of aortic sclerosis in this study was 49%.

Although less frequent, aortic sclerosis can be observed in middle-aged patients, and the risk of aortic sclerosis increases as the age in such a cohort increases.