Final answer:
Patients with aortic valve stenosis experience increased myocardial thickness and a decrease in chamber volume. The condition causes the heart to work harder, leading to myocardial hypertrophy and consequently a smaller ventricular chamber size.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients with aortic valve stenosis experience B. increased thickness in the myocardium and a decrease in chamber volume. Aortic valve stenosis causes the heart valves to become rigid, potentially leading to calcification over time. Because the valve is stenotic, or narrowed, the ventricle must work harder to propel blood through it. This increased effort by the ventricle leads to myocardial hypertrophy, which is an increase in the thickness of the myocardium to generate the necessary force. Over time, this can result in a reduced volume of the ventricular chamber; the heart muscle thickens and may encroach upon the space within the ventricle where blood is contained. This response is necessary to overcome the afterload caused by the stenotic valve and maintain adequate cardiac output.