The most common cause of aortic valve stenosis in patients over the age of 70 is senile calcific degeneration of the valve leaflets. The most common cause in patients under the age of 70 is calcification of a congenitally bicuspid aortic valve.

Other causes of aortic stenosis include congental aortic stenosis, rheumatic valvular heart disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, familial hypercholesterolemia, ochronosis, Paget’s disease and Fabry’s disease. These are all relatively rare.