Heart valve disease

Heart Valve Disease

Heart valve disease is a condition that affects one or more of the four valves in the heart. These valves are responsible for ensuring unidirectional blood flow through the heart's chambers and into the major arteries. The four heart valves are the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, and pulmonary valve.

Anatomy and Function of Heart Valves

The heart valves are composed of flaps called leaflets or cusps that open and close with each heartbeat. This action ensures that blood flows in the correct direction and prevents backflow.

• Mitral Valve: Located between the left atrium and left ventricle, it has two leaflets and is also known as the bicuspid valve.
• Tricuspid Valve: Situated between the right atrium and right ventricle, it has three leaflets.
• Aortic Valve: Found between the left ventricle and the aorta, it has three leaflets.
• Pulmonary Valve: Located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, it also has three leaflets.

Types of Heart Valve Disease

Heart valve disease can be classified into two main types:

• Stenosis: This occurs when the valve leaflets become thickened, stiff, or fused, preventing the valve from fully opening. This restricts blood flow through the valve.
• Regurgitation: Also known as insufficiency or incompetence, this occurs when the valve does not close completely, allowing blood to flow backward.

Causes of Heart Valve Disease

Heart valve disease can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Congenital Heart Defects: Some people are born with malformed valves.
• Rheumatic Fever: A complication of untreated strep throat that can damage the heart valves.
• Endocarditis: An infection of the heart valves.
• Age-related Changes: Calcification and degeneration of the valves can occur with aging.
• Other Conditions: Such as Marfan syndrome or Lupus.

Symptoms of Heart Valve Disease

Symptoms can vary depending on the severity and type of valve disease, but may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Swelling of the ankles and feet
• Chest pain
• Palpitations
• Dizziness or fainting

Diagnosis of Heart Valve Disease

Diagnosis typically involves:

• Physical Examination: Listening for heart murmurs with a stethoscope.
• Echocardiogram: An ultrasound of the heart to visualize valve function.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): To assess the heart's electrical activity.
• Cardiac MRI: Provides detailed images of the heart's structure.
• Cardiac Catheterization: Measures pressures in the heart chambers and assesses valve function.

Treatment of Heart Valve Disease

Treatment options depend on the type and severity of the valve disease and may include:

• Medications: To manage symptoms and prevent complications.
• Surgical Repair: To fix the valve without replacing it.
• Valve Replacement: Using mechanical or biological prosthetic valves.
• Transcatheter Valve Procedures: Minimally invasive techniques to repair or replace valves.

Prognosis and Management

With appropriate treatment, many individuals with heart valve disease can lead normal lives. Regular follow-up with a cardiologist is essential to monitor the condition and adjust treatment as needed.

Also see

• Cardiovascular disease
• Congenital heart defect
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Endocarditis

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy