Video narration
On an adult native-valve echo report, how much is the aortic valve obstructing blood flow? Here, Doppler Vmax tells you how fast blood crosses the valve; mean gradient estimates the pressure drop. Valve area, calculated with the continuity equation, estimates how much opening remains. These measures describe obstruction from different angles; they are not interchangeable. For severe stenosis, common thresholds are Vmax at least four meters per second, mean gradient at least forty millimeters of mercury, or valve area at most one point zero square centimeters. But one severe-range number does not always settle it. The measures can disagree, especially when flow is low, making speed and gradient look lower than expected. Doppler alignment and measurement quality matter too. So on this report, severe-range Vmax, mean gradient, or valve area supports severe stenosis-but mismatches need flow and measurement context.