The heart valve disease is a condition wherein one or more of the heart valves do not function adequately preventing proper circulation. Without proper treatment, the disease may reduce the quality of life and in certain cases even become life-threatening.
In most cases, the heart valves are surgically replaced or repaired to restore the normal function so that the person affected can return to normal activities.
What is Heart Valve Disease?
The heart has a total of four valves namely the mitral, tricuspid, aortic and pulmonic valves that make sure blood flows in one direction through the heart.
The valves have small flaps of tissue known as leaflets that open to allow blood to move through the heart during half of the heartbeat and close preventing the blood from flowing backwards during the other half.
In two of the valves (mitral and tricuspid), the leaflets have fibrous strands of tissue called chordae tendineae. These strands of tissue connect the valves to the papillary muscles inside the walls of the ventricles.
The papillary muscles and chordae tendineae work to stabilize the leaflets against any backward blood flow.
Heart valve disease occurs when the heart’s valves do not function correctly. Some of the common reasons behind heart valve disease include-
- Rheumatic fever
- Birth defects
- Degeneration over the course of time
- Infection
This is usually caused due to valvular stenosis or valvular insufficiency.
What are the symptoms of heart valve disease?
When the heart valves begin failing function, the heart compensates by beating faster for reduced blood flow.
While the symptoms may not be visible at first, over time, the disease may progress and symptoms may be visible. Some of the visible symptoms are-
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Discomfort in the chest area
- Weight gain faster than anticipated
- Edema (swollen ankles, feet or abdomen)
- Increasing shortness of breath
- Skipped beats (palpitations)
- Shortness of breath
How to diagnose heart valve disease?
The doctor would talk to the patient to understand the symptoms and perform a physical examination along with other tests.
The physical examination would involve listening to the patient’s heart to hear and interpret the sounds it makes when the valves open and close.
The doctor can easily identify if the heart is sounding like a murmur (a swishing sound made by blood flowing through a stenotic/ leaky valve). He is also easily able to tell if there is any form or enlargement or irregular rhythms in the heart.
Besides this, the doctor also examines the lungs to look for signs of fluid retention. A thorough examination of the body would help him understand the circulation and functioning of other organs.
If the doctor suspects heart valve disease after the physical examination, he may order a few diagnostic tests which may include-
- Transesophageal echocardiography
- Cardiac Cauterization
- Echocardiography
How is heart valve disease treated?
Depending on how advanced the disease is, there are a number of ways in which it can be treated. The heart valve disease can be treated in the following ways-
- Protecting the valves from further damage- Patients with the disease have an increased risk of infective endocarditis. The infection may damage or destroy the heart valves and in some cases, it may even be fatal. Even after the repairing of the heart valve or replacement during surgery, the risk does not go away completely. It is best to stay in touch with the doctor noticing any symptoms.
- Taking medications- The doctor would prescribe proper medications to reduce the chances of any further damage. While some medications are life-long, others may only require until the time of the surgery.
- Undergoing minimally invasive surgery, if necessary- As the disease progresses, surgery may require to lead a normal life. Eventually, the surgery fixes the faulty valve with or without using artificial parts, this solely depends on the type of surgery- replacement or repair.
- Visit the doctor regularly to assess the extent of the condition.
Jun 01, 2019
May 30, 2018