Aortic Valvular Heart Disease
What is it?
Problems with heart valves are usually caused
in two ways, congenital (you are born with them)
or acquired. There are two types of valve defects
- stenosis (the heart valve is narrowed and
constricted) and regurgitation ( the heart valve
fails to close all the way and allows blood to
flow back through the valve into the other
chamber).
The heart has four heart valves - the mitral,
aortic, tricuspid and pulmonic. Valves may be
affected individually or in combination.
Rheumatic fever is the most common cause of
acquired mitral and aortic valve disease.
Rheumatic fever usually occurs in children
between the ages of 5 and 15, however, the valve
consequences do not become evident until 10 to 15
years later. Additional causes may be from acute
infection, generalized artherosclerotic heart
disease, or congenital abnormalities.
What are the symptoms?
Usually the patient will incur symptoms such
as chest pain, shortness or breath, fatigue, or
dizziness suggesting that there may be a problem
for which they should seek medical attention. A
visit to the family doctor or cardiologist is
recommended. As part of this examination the
physician may detect a heart murmur by listening
to the heart. Further evaluation by
echocardiogram and possibly a cardiac
catheterization would then be needed to assess
the need for surgical intervention.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Surgical treatment is recommended only when
medical management fails. Valve replacement may
be made with a mechanical valve or a biological
(pig, human tissue, or cow pericardial tissue)
valve. A prosthetic valve does require a patient
to remain on lifelong anticoagulant (blood
thinning) to prevent clot formation.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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