What is a potential complication of untreated aortic stenosis in pediatric patients?

Aortic stenosis is a condition characterized by the narrowing of the aortic valve, which impedes blood flow from the heart to the aorta and subsequently to the rest of the body. If left untreated, this condition can lead to significant complications, primarily due to the increased workload on the left ventricle as it struggles to pump blood through the narrowed valve. Over time, this strain on the heart muscle can result in hypertrophy (thickening of the heart muscle), which can lead to heart failure.

As the heart becomes less efficient, the risk of arrhythmias increases due to changes in the electrical conduction system within the hypertrophied heart. This combination of heart failure and arrhythmias can severely impact a child's health, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and in severe cases, even sudden cardiac events.

In contrast, while hypertension and stroke are serious conditions, they are not direct complications of untreated aortic stenosis in pediatric patients. Myocardial infarction is uncommon in children and typically associated with different risk factors, and peripheral vascular disease is primarily a concern in older populations, not typically in pediatric patients with aortic stenosis. Thus, the most pertinent complications associated with untreated aortic stenosis