Valvular Heart Diseases
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 259, Word Count: 863,
A valvular heart disease refers to several disorders and diseases related to heart valves. They are the tissue flaps, which regulates the flow of blood through the four chambers of the heart. It is also known as heart valve disease.
Your heart consists of four chambers, i.e. two upper chambers (the atria) and two lower chambers (the ventricles) - which are responsible for pumping of the blood. Heart valve is a one-way door, which opens and closes with each heartbeat, controlling the flow of blood from one chamber to the other. ‘Each valve is made up of few thin fold of a tissue’.
However, what happens when a heart valve does not work properly? Blood can leak backwards through the valve in any direction, this is known as regurgitation. The mitral valve sometimes has ‘floppy flaps’ which means it does not close tightly. This is called as mitral valve prolapse; it is the most common heart valve disease, which occurs. When the valve does not open properly, it results in blocking a blood flow, known as stenosis. Valve problem can be present from the time of birth else, it can be caused due to other heart problems such as heart disease, heart attacks, infection, or damage.
Causes of Valvular Heart Diseases
Valvular heart diseases can be present from the time of birth or acquired some times in ones lifetime. Some times, the cause of valvular heart disease remains unknown.
I. Congenital Valve Disease
- Usually congenital valve disease affects the aortic or pulmonary valve. In this the valve may be improperly sized, leaflets could be malformed or the leaflets may not be correctly attached to annulus.
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease has only two leaflets developed instead of normal three leaflets. This leads to stiffening of the valve.
II. Acquired Valve Disease
· Rheumatic fever
When the bacterial infection remains untreated, it leads to rheumatic fever. It occurs in children usually but gets detected after 20-40 yrs when the heart valves get inflamed and leaflets stick together leading to mitral regurgitation.
· Endocarditis
Entering of microbes and bacteria into the blood stream leads to growth and holes in the heart valves. The bacteria and microbes can also enter in your blood stream during the dental treatment, surgeries, and infections or with the use of intra venous drugs. All the people suffering from mitral valves are at a higher risk of developing endocarditis.
· Mitral Valve prolapse
In this process, leaflets of mitral valve flop back into the left atrium during the contraction of the heart. It happens due to the defect in the tissue of valves.
Other important causes of valvular heart diseases are heart attack, connective tissue disease, syphilis, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and cardiomypothay. The other less common causes of valvular heart diseases include drugs, radiation, and tumors.
Risk Factors of Valvular Heart Diseases
Following are the risk factors of the valvular heart disease
· Hypertension
· High cholesterol level
· Smoking
· Diabetes
· Obesity/Over weight
· Aging
· Family history of valvular heart disease
· Lack of physical activities
Symptoms of Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms do not relate to your seriousness of diseases. Some times, you may not have any type of symptoms and have a very serious heart valve disease. Following are the symptoms of valvular heart disease.
- Shortness of breath
- Discomfort in your chest
- Weakness or dizziness
- Swelling of your feet, ankles and abdomen
- Palpitations
- Rapid weight gain
Diagnosis of Valvular Heart Diseases
Your doctor will give you the medical report by taking into consideration of the symptoms, physical examination, and other related tests. During a physical examination, your doctor listens to your heart murmur. It is swishing sound made by your blood while flowing through a stenotic or leaky valve. After the physical exam, doctor can order you to do the following diagnostic test. It may include.
- Radionuclide scans
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Transesophageal echocardiography
- Echocardiography
Treatment of Valvular Heart Diseases
The treatment of valvular heart diseases may vary depending on the valve involved and the extent of damage. Some patient may not require any type of treatment, whereas many other will require to be treated with medication and surgery. Medication includes beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, Diuretics, Vasodilators, and Antiarrhythmic medications.
When you are suffering from any valvular heart disease, it is very important to protect yourself from any heart problem or heart disease. The above information will provide you the required information about heart valvular disease.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
Advice Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote