Serum copeptin might improve risk stratification and management of aortic valve stenosis: a review of pathophysiological insights and practical implications

Over recent decades, the prevalence of aortic valve stenosis (AVS) has been constantly increasing possibly owing to the aging of general population. Severe AVS as determined by an aortic valve area (AVA) of <1？cm2 has been regarded as a serious clinical condition potentially associated with a variety of adverse outcomes, including sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, patients with severe AVS (in the absence of overt high-risk features) are usually evaluated and managed exclusively based on symptomatology or imperfect prognostic tools including exercise testing and biomarkers, with a potential risk of mismanagement, suggesting the need for further objective risk stratifiers in this setting