Valvular Heart Disease Management

CARDIOLOGY SERVICES

Valvular heart disease is a disease that occurs when any heart valve is ill or damaged. The illness has a number of causes. The right and left atria, as well as the right and left ventricles, make up the four chambers and four valves of a typical heart.

The flow of blood into and out of the heart is regulated or controlled by the opening and closing of the valve. Leaflets on a healthy heart valve can fully open and close when the heart beats, but diseased valves do not do so. Any valve might have a disease, but the most likely one is the aortic valve.

Regurgitation is a condition where a diseased valve partially closes or becomes “leaky.” If this takes place, blood seeps back into the original chamber, and the heart is unable to pump enough blood forward.

The other typical heart valve disorder is stenosis, which occurs when the valve’s aperture is constricted and stiff and the valve is unable to open while blood is trying to pass through fully

The leaflet of a valve may not be present in a diseased one, but the aortic valve is most likely to be affected by it. The heart has to pump harder to pass blood throughout the body when any of the valves are defective. Heart failure, abrupt cardiac arrest, and death may result from this. If you want to know more about valvular heart disease, you can contact us at Port Charlotte Cardiology.

Valvular heart disease symptoms

Valvular heart disease can progress slowly or rapidly. When valve disease progresses more slowly, symptoms might not appear until the disease is well advanced. The following signs could appear more suddenly in some people:

  • Chest pain.
  • Breath shortness.
  • Fever.
  • Fatigue.
  • Dizziness.
  • Abnormal heartbeat.
  • Fast weight gaining.

Diagnosis of valvular heart disease

Your physician may notice an irregular sound, which is a heart murmur, if he tries to listen to your heartbeat. The doctor may be able to identify which valve is impacted and what kind of issue it is based on the murmur’s location, sound, and rhythm. In order to determine whether the valves are functioning properly, a doctor may also perform an echocardiogram, a test that employs sound waves to generate a video of the valves.

Treatment of valvular heart disease

Medications to address the symptoms may be used to manage the illness if it isn’t too severe. Surgery may be advised if the valve is more significantly ill and exhibiting more severe symptoms. The affected valve and the disease’s root cause will determine the kind of surgery needed. It may be necessary to replace the valve for specific conditions, either by opening the heart during surgery or by replacing the valve without doing so.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Making various heart-healthy lifestyle adjustments is a good idea, such as:

  • Upkeep a healthy weight: Strive to maintain a healthy weight. Your doctor could advise lowering your weight if you are fat or overweight.
  • A diet that is heart-healthy: Consume a range of fruits and vegetables, dairy products with little or no fat, chicken, fish, and whole grains. Limit your intake of salt, sugar, and saturated and trans fats.
  • Engaging in regular exercise: Aim to integrate 30 minutes of physical exercise into your daily fitness plan, such as brisk walks.
  • Avoiding smoking: Quit smoking if you do.
  • Controlling stress: Try relaxing exercises like deep breathing and meditation, keep up your physical activity, and spend time with family and friends.