Valvular heart disease

The vast majority of people suffering with valvular heart disease that receive valve replacement experience renewed energy after their surgery.

It was almost fifty years ago, after years of experimentation, that surgeons were able to successfully replace damaged heart valves with artificial ones. This medical breakthrough gave hope to heart patients everywhere.

symptom of valvular heart disease

In its early stages, valvular heart causes a person to become easily fatigued. Then as the medical condition progresses, the main symptom of heart failure, which is breathlessness, appears. Heart valve replacement is done to improve blood circulation in severe valvular disease. Causes

When the valves in the heart don't work correctly, it causes valvular heart disease. The valves play an important role in the flow of blood through the heart. If they don't work properly, the heart doesn't work effectively.

If the valve doesn't close properly, it causes the blood to flow backward the left atrium of the heart. Doctors call this mitral insufficiency or regurgitation. Regurgitation or a leaky valve is just one problem when the valves don't work. The condition can occur on the mitral valve or aortic valve.

If the valves become calcified or thickened, they have difficulty opening and allowing blood to flow out of the heart. In this case, the condition is stenosis. Stenosis makes the heart pump harder to do accomplish its task. The condition can occur on the mitral valve or aortic valve. Sometimes patients have both stenosis and a leaky valve.

Congenital defects, infection such as rheumatic fever or endocarditis, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart muscle disease, high blood pressure, syphilis, connective tissue disease, tumors, injury, radiation and certain types of drugs cause the valves to work improperly. A heart attack or trauma can cause tissues to tear and the valves leak.

The leading cause of valvular heart disease in the United States is degenerative changes produced by aging. Of the heart's four valves, the two on the hard-working left side of the heart are most likely to require replacing. The mitral heart valve, between the upper and lower chambers, is the most vulnerable to valvular damage. Valvular heart also affects the aortic valve, which controls blood flow from the left chamber into the aorta.

Valvular heart disease produces two kinds of problems. One problem is insufficiency, which means the valve leaks because they are unable to close properly. The other is narrowing, when the valve opening is narrowed by growths, scars, or abnormal deposits.

Heart attacks cause injury to the mitral valve's muscles, which normally close the valve tightly after each heartbeat. Certain bacteria that invade the bloodstream and settle on the valves that have been made susceptible by previous damage is another reason for valvular heart disease. Diagnosis

Without treatment, valvular will only worsen. If the damaged valves develop scar tissue, and blood leaks through the opening that does not close properly, it is often heard by doctors as a heart murmur.

Your doctor will determine valvular disease by the usual assortment of technological advances from noninvasive like the stethoscope, fluoroscope, and echocardiography to invasive measures such as cardiac catheterization and angiography.

The most conclusive information as to the extent of valvular heart disease damage has occurred and all the complications caused by the valve damage comes from cardiac catheterization and angiography.

Risk Factors

A danger of valvular heart disease is that a blood clot may form as a consequence of sluggish blood flow. If the clot is large enough to block the valve and prevent the passage of blood, it can cause fainting. If the blood clot is not dislodged, it can prove fatal.

When a valve fails to shut tightly, some of the blood leaks, partially filling the chamber with blood that was supposed to be emptied. This eventually causes blood to back up in the lungs, where the increased pressure leads to pulmonary edema.

To accommodate the abnormal flow of blood experienced with valvular heart disease, the heart has to work harder. The extra cardiac effort exacts a toll over a period of years, causing the heart to enlarge, weaken, and ultimately go into failure.

Within limits, heart valve replacement surgery is safe. As any operation has its risks, valve surgery carries subsequent complications with new manmade valves and the danger of rejection. Infection is a tremendous threat to a re-valved heart, operations such as dental surgery and other surgeries should be accompanied by careful antibiotic treatment beforehand. Any surgical procedures are generally delayed for 6 months after heart valve replacement.

Go to Types of Heart Disease from Valvular heart disease