What are the diseases of the heart valves?

Your heart consists of 4 chambers – 2 upper chambers (atria) and 2 lower chambers (ventricles). The four valves of your heart are the mitral, tricuspid, pulmonary, and aortic valves.

Blood passes from one heart chamber to the other through valves. Each of these valves has flap-like leaflets that open and close once per heartbeat, maintaining blood flow in the right direction. In short, a valve acts as a one-way outlet anda one-way inlet on either side of a chamber, preventing the backflow of blood.If any of these valves fail to close or open properly, the flow of blood through your heart and to the rest of your body is disrupted.

What are the signs of heart valve problems?

When heart valves begin to fail, the heart has to beat harder to maintain proper blood flow. Over time, the condition may deteriorate to a point that you start noticing symptoms. They include:

• Increasing instances of shortness of breath
• Weakness or dizziness
• Swelling in the feet, ankles, or the abdomen (edema)
• Chest pain and discomfort
• Rapid weight gain
• Fluttering or pounding heartbeats (palpitations)

Types of heart valve diseases

Heart valve problems can be acquired with age through heart conditions and infections. They can also be congenital (present at birth). They include:

• Acquired heart valve diseases:
  • Regurgitation: The valve leaflets (flaps) don’t close properly, causing a backward leakage of blood into the heart. This usually occurs due to prolapse, a condition when the leaflets bulge backward or become stretchy.
  • Stenosis: The valve flaps become stiff, thicken, or even fuse together, creating a narrowed valve opening through which the blood flow is restricted and make the heart work harder.
  • Endocarditis: A bacterial infection enters the bloodstream and infects the valve, creating holes, scarring, or harmful growths.
• Congenital heart valve diseases:
  • Atresia: The valve is not properly formed, and instead of flaps that open, solid tissue blocks the flow of blood between the heart chambers.
  • Valves, such as the pulmonary or the aortic valves, may be improperly formed, be of an improper size, or be improperly attached to their base.
  • Bicuspid aortic valve disease: The aortic valve in this condition has only 2 leaflets instead of 3, and is leaky because the valve cannot close or open completely.

What are the risk factors to develop valvular heart diseases?

The factors that increase your risk of developing heart valve diseases include:

• Heart valve infection
• Changes in the structure of the heart valve with ageing.
• Heart disease/ coronary artery disease
• History of heart attack
• High cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, and other cardiovascular disease risk factors
• Congenital heart disease (heart conditions present at birth) such as myxomatous degeneration
• Syphilis

Can there be complications?

Heart valve diseases can create life-threatening complications such as:

• Heart failure
• Blood clots
• Stroke
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Death

How is heart valve disease diagnosed?

The preliminary test that your cardiologist will perform if he/ she/ they suspect valvular heart disease is to check for any abnormal sounds in the heart with a stethoscope. These characteristic sounds due to the turbulent flow of blood in the heart are known as heart murmurs.

To further diagnose the precise kind of valve disorder and the extent of the problem, the following tests may be conducted:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Echocardiogram (echo)
• Transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
• Chest X-ray.
• Cardiac catheterization.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

How is heart valve disease treated?

Depending on the type and severity of the valvular heart disease, treatment may include:

• Medication: Medicines are not a cure for heart valve disease, but their use can help relieve symptoms.
  • Beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers help control the heart rate and prevent abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Medicines such as vasodilators relax the blood vessels and reduce blood pressure to reduce the force with the heart must pump blood.
• Surgery: Malfunctioning valves may need to be repaired or replaced with surgery.
  • Heart valve repair: Abnormal heart valve tissue may be remodelled for proper function. A dilated valve may also be narrowed by inserting prosthetic rings.
  • Heart valve replacement: Severely dysfunctional or malformed valves may need to be replaced. These replacement valves may be biological valves (valves from animals or donated organs) or mechanical valves (made of metals, plastics, and other materials).

If you suspect heart disease or heart valve disease, you should call your doctor before your symptoms become too severe or frequent. Following diagnosis, you will need to schedule follow-up appointments with your cardiologist to make sure that your heart valves are functioning properly to avoid complications. Sagar Heart and Vascular Institute has the best cardiologists in Bangalore and specialises in the treatment of heart valve disease.To know more about the risks of heart valve disease and the latest treatment plans, book an appointment with our consultants.