Heart valve disease is when one or more heart valves do not work correctly. The valves are responsible for keeping blood flow moving forward in one direction. They also prevent the backward flow of blood as it leaves each heart chamber. The four heart chambers include two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles). Additionally, the four valves are tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves. We get many questions on what heart valve disease is, their causes and their signs and symptoms. We have attempted to cover all this in this post.
To provide readers with a better understanding of heart valve disease, we have drafted this blog by taking references from famous heart specialists, like Dr. Sujay Shad. He is renowned for performing the best heart valve surgery in Delhi at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. By reading the complete blog, one will fully understand the symptoms and causes of heart valve disease in detail. So, let’s begin discussing.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Valve Disease?
Heart valve disease may not show symptoms sometimes. The following are some common symptoms experienced by individuals with heart valve disease. However, every individual varies and may experience different symptoms. The signs can vary depending on the type of heart valve disease and may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in chest
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Swelling
- Migraine headache
- Low or high blood pressure depending on which valve disease is present
- Pain in the abdomen due to enlarged liver
If one is experiencing the above symptoms, it might indicate a heart valve disease. For this, individuals must seek medical attention right away. One can consult the expert heart doctor in Delhi, Dr. Sujay Shad, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The adept heart doctor will perform several tests to confirm the diagnosis.
What Causes Heart Valve Disease?
The following are the causes of heart valve disease:
- Changes in heart valve structure due to aging
- Heart attack or coronary artery disease
- Infection in heart valve
- Birth defects
- A sexually transmitted infection
- An inherited connective tissue disorder which weakens the heart valve tissues
- Medicines
- Radiation therapy aimed at the chest wall which treats lymphoma
- Having a history of rheumatic fever
Note: One must understand that heart valve disease can occur due to two main types of problems including:
Leakage of Valve (Regurgitation): When the valve does not complete properly, it causes the blood to flow backwards through the valve. This reduces the blood flow and leads to volume overload in the heart.
Narrowing of the Valves: When the opening of the valves becomes narrowed, it limits the blood flow out of the ventricles or atria. This way, the heart is forced to pump blood with more force to move blood through the narrowed valve.
How is Heart Valve Disease Treated?
The treatments for heart valve disease include the following:
1. Medicines: Medicines can help ease heart valve disease symptoms but are not a permanent cure. Digoxin, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers are all beneficial in regulating heart rate and stopping unstable cardiac rhythms. Vasodilators and diuretics are two other medications that can lower blood pressure. The medicines might not work if one has a narrowed heart valve. If the valve does not open, one might require valvuloplasty or transcatheter replacement surgery.
2. Surgery: Surgery is needed to replace or repair the damaged valve. In most situations, own tissues are used. When the heart valves are damaged severely, they must be replaced with new ones. The replaced valves include tissue (biologic) valves, animal valves, or donated human valves.
3. Transcatheter Procedure: These are minimally invasive procedures. During this procedure, the heart doctor replaces the heart valves. It is done through an artery (for the aortic valve) or a vein (for the tricuspid, pulmonary, or mitral valve).
4. Heart Valve Repair: This repair is performed for the mitral valve. A clip can be used to prevent blood from leaking through the mitral valve.
5. Balloon Valvuloplasty: During this procedure, a hollow tube known as a catheter is put in a blood vessel and the heart. A deflated balloon at the catheter's tip is placed into the heart valve. The balloon is inserted, inflated to expand the valve, and then removed. The procedure is only used for treating stenotic (narrowed) valves.
6. TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement): A new aortic valve is placed inside the previous valve to perform this procedure. This can be done using catheters, wires or balloons, which are inserted in the arteries of the groin. The process can also help replace heart valves that leak or become narrow over time.
Conclusion
Through this blog, we hope you understand heart valve disease, its symptoms, causes and effective treatment. If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sujay Shad, a famous heart specialist, at the renowned hospital Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
He also performs a range of other heart procedures at the hospital, such as coronary bypass surgery, aortic surgery, heart transplants, bypass surgery and many more. Dr. Sujay Shad is also widely recognized as the best bypass surgeon in Delhi. Consult the expert heart doctor, Dr. Sujay Shad, for more details on these procedures at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
