Valvular Heart Disease: All You Need to Know About Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Valvular heart disease is a condition when any of the four valves in the heart is damaged or doesn’t work properly. The valves in the heart help in regulating the flow of blood to the heart. When one or more valves do not open or close properly, this disrupts the blood flow.

If you hear an unusual sound or a murmur along with the heartbeat then it could be a sign of valve malfunction. Depending on the location of the murmur, rhythm and type of sound it is identified which valve of the heart is affected, which can cause two conditions either stenosis or regurgitation.

Damaged valves can give rise to conditions like stenosis and regurgitation. In stenosis the valve narrows and it causes less blood to pump. Regurgitation is a condition when the valve gets leaked in the wrong direction, letting blood back into the heart instead of sending it out.

Valvular Heart Disease Causes

There are several factors that can cause valvular heart disease, according to experts. One of them is rheumatic fever, which begins when bacterial infection of strep throat is not treated well. The infection leads to the scarring of the heart valve. Endocarditis is another cause that occurs due to an infection of the inner lining of the heart by severe infection. The infection begins to settle on heart valves and ends up damaging the valves. Heart attacks and high blood pressure are some of the other causes of Valvular heart disease.

According to cardiologists, some people can be born with Valvular heart disease while others develop them with age.

Valvular heart disease symptoms

The symptoms of valvular heart disease can sometimes go undetected as it develops at a slow pace. However, the most common symptoms of the disease are identified to be:

· Irregular heartbeat

· Chest pain

· Shortness of breath

· Fever

· Dizziness and fatigue

· Weight gain

· Valvular heart disease treatment

If the condition isn’t severe, it can be brought under control through medication. However, if the valves are damaged severely, there are many surgeries that can be recommended by specialists including open heart surgery, replacement of valves, and more. Doctors suggest that those with valvular heart conditions should go for regular echocardiograms to know the condition of the valves. Apart from this, the patients should also keep a close watch on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

A balanced diet, no-smoking, physical exercise and a stress free lifestyle can help to improve the condition of the patients.

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