valve calcification

Think of a flexible rubber flap that gradually crusts over with hard mineral deposits until it can barely bend. Valve calcification is the build-up of calcium within the tissue of a heart valve, stiffening the leaflets so they no longer open and close smoothly.

This process is not simply passive mineral settling; it is now understood to be an active, biology-driven change resembling bone formation, influenced by inflammation, lipids, and shear stress on the valve. It is strongly linked to ageing and shares risk factors with atherosclerosis, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

The aortic valve is the most common site, where calcification is the leading cause of aortic stenosis in older adults. Calcium can also build up on the mitral valve ring (annulus). Calcification is readily seen on echocardiography and on cardiac CT, where the amount of valve calcium helps gauge severity. There is currently no proven medication that reverses established valve calcification, so management focuses on monitoring and, when stenosis becomes severe, on valve replacement.

Valve calcification reflects long-term processes; this is background information rather than guidance for any individual.