The heart can be referred to as the engine room of the human body with four doors, a very busy organ. The heart has a very busy job of always pumping, on duty without any breaks or vacations. The four doors that we are referring to are the heart valves; they are small but mighty flaps that keep the blood moving in the right direction. What do you think will happen when one or more of these valves do not function properly, like do not open or close the way they should?
We welcome you to the world of heart valve disease, where your heart tries to whisper or even sometimes scream that something is not quite exactly right with it.
In this blog we will get to know more about the symptoms, understand the causes, and break down the treatment for the heart valve disease, all in very simple terms which your heart would approve of.
What is heart valve disease?
We spoke about how your heart has four doors, right? Now add four rooms too. So. Each room has four doors called valves. This valve opens and shuts every time your heart beats. The rate is about 100,000 times a day. These doors are named ‘mitral valve’, ‘aortic valve’, ‘tricuspid valve’ and ‘pulmonary valve’.
They are the precision tools of the heart. doors, blood flows smoothly when they work, and when they don’t work, the heart has to work harder and put more effort into doing the same job.
Heart valve disease occurs when:
- A valve doesn’t open fully (we call that stenosis).
- Or it doesn’t close properly (that’s regurgitation or insufficiency).
In both ways, this disease messes with the rhythm of life inside you. Your heart tries to communicate; when this happens, pay extra attention, or else it can sneak up quietly or hit you hard.
How to recognise the symptoms of heart valve disease?
You will think that the heart valve disease will show up with a bang, but it does not always happen with fanfare, and that is the tricky part. Sometimes it’s silent and subtle. Other times, it’s loud and impossible to ignore. Here are the most common signs and symptoms of heart valve disease:
1. Shortness of Breath
You walk up a few stairs and feel like you’ve run a marathon. This isn’t just “being out of shape”. This can be your body giving you signs that your heart valves are not working smoothly, which is leading to a decrease in oxygen output.
2. Pain in chest or feeling tightness and uneasiness
That dull ache or sharp pinch when you’re active or stressed might not be simple stress or indigestion. It could be your heart working harder than it should.
3. Fatigue or Weakness
There can be situations where one can feel tired even after getting 8 hours of sleep. Again, that exhaustion which does not get over could possibly mean that your body is not getting oxygen-rich blood.
4. Heart Palpitations or sudden increase in heartbeats, a significant
When the heart suddenly starts fluttering, racing or pounding. This can be a significant warning sign, as irregular heartbeats are very common in heart valve diseases.
5. Swollen Feet or Ankles
When the oedema gets stored in your lower limb, oedema is fluid that gets stored as the heart struggles to pump blood efficiently. This is a classic sign of heart valve disease.
6. Dizziness or Fainting
There are times when you can feel unexplained fainting spells or feel lightheaded; this can be called a ‘red flag’. This can be in reference to obstructed blood flow from the heart.
7. Heart Murmurs
This is the medical sign. This can be only heard by your doctor with the help of a stethoscope. The heart murmurs are the clicking or whooshing sound. This could be the sound of blood flowing improperly through a valve.
What are the causes of heart valve disease?
There can be different causes for heart valve disease. Some of them can be present from birth; a few can develop over time because of lifestyle, illness or the age factor. The understanding of the causes of heart valve disease can help in preventing or managing it beforehand and in a better way.
1. Congenital Heart Valve Problems
There are some people who are born with different heart valves, which can create issues for them in the function of the heart. For example, a bicuspid aortic valve (with two flaps instead of three) can lead to issues later in life. Congenital defects are often detected during childhood or early adulthood by the doctor and managed at best in most of the situations.
2. Age-Related Degeneration
The way there are issues with knees or eyes, there can be issues with your heart too. The thing is, as someone ages, the calcium buildup on valve tissue turns out to cause stiffness and narrowing of the valve. Aortic stenosis is particularly common in older adults.
3. Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic fever is a complication of strep throat if it is left untreated. This infection, if it has occurred in any person’s life, can cause a scar on the heart valve. This infection was more common in earlier generations but, to this date, affects many globally.
4. Endocarditis
The endocarditis is a bacterial infection. This infection causes inflammation to the inner lining of the heart, even to the heart valves. When this disease is not treated on time, it can cause major lasting damage and life-threatening complications.
5. Radiation Therapy
Chest radiation for cancers like lymphoma or breast cancer can weaken or scar heart valves over time. This effect may not show for years after treatment.
6. Other Contributing Conditions
- High blood pressure, especially over time
- Connective tissue disorders like Marfan’s syndrome
- Coronary artery disease or heart attacks
- Previous heart surgeries
Every condition mentioned above can contribute to the weakening of the heart valves or even cause them to not function smoothly.
Steps to diagnose heart valve disease
In the scenario in which you or your loved one is going through the symptoms given above or has risk factors, it is very crucial to get them checked by the doctor. The diagnosis of heart valve disease includes many simple tests and advanced techniques.
1. Physical Examination
The heart murmur (heart sounds) we spoke about above is evaluated by your doctor during the routine checkups, and if there is some doubt or the doctor catches the sign, he/she will write you further checkups to confirm it.
2. Echocardiogram
They are the real-time images of your heart. This is an ultrasound-based test. This test reveals how well the heart valves are working. It is the most widely used test and is very detailed.
3. Electrocardiogram (ECG) the most
This test tracks the electrical activity of the heart. This test can show the irregular rhythms and chamber enlargement due to the heart valve disease.
4. Chest X-ray
There are chest x-rays; you will be familiar with this. They can show whether your heart is enlarged or if there’s fluid buildup in the lungs. These observations are both common in advanced valve disease.
5. Cardiac MRI or CT Scan
They can be called super high-resolution images of your heart. They are used for surgical planning of the treatment or when the echocardiograms are not showing proper results, i.e., when echocardiograms are inconclusive.
6. Cardiac Catheterization
They are used to measure pressures within the heart chambers. Cardiac catheterisation tests are most of the time for complex cases or prior to surgery.
What will be the treatment for heart valve disease?
There is not a requirement of surgery for every case. The treatment depends on many things, like severity, symptoms, what heart valve is affected and the overall health of the patient.
Still, here are the top main treatment options for heart valve disease:
1. Monitoring
When the heart disease is mild or does not have any symptoms, it may just require regular routine follow-ups and simple lifestyle changes. Monitoring helps track disease progression.
2. Medications
While they can’t repair the valve, medications can manage symptoms and help the heart work more efficiently:
- Diuretics to reduce fluid buildup
- Beta-blockers to control heart rate
- ACE inhibitors or ARBs to lower blood pressure
- Anticoagulants to prevent blood clots from happening
3. Valve Repair Surgery
Surgeons most of the time prefer to replace the heart valve rather than repair it. Repair techniques are as follows:
- Patching the holes
- Reshaping the valve flaps
- Reinforcing the weak areas of valve
The mitral valve repair is commonly successful and may be done via minimally invasive methods.
4. Valve Replacement
When the heart valve disease cannot be corrected using the repair method, the surgeon goes for the heart valve replacement method.
Here the heart valve is replaced with either
- Mechanical valves: Long-lasting but require lifelong use of blood thinners
- Biological valves: Made from animal or human tissue. They are less durable but often don’t require long-term medication
5. Minimally Invasive Techniques (TAVR/TAVI)
This modern, advanced approach involves inserting a new valve via a catheter, typically through the groin. It is known as transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and it’s ideal for patients who can’t undergo open-heart surgery.
Lifestyle Changes for Heart Valve Disease
The patients living with heart valve disease require daily attention, not fear. Lifestyle changes can greatly slow down the disease progression and improve quality of life.
Eat Smart
- Focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- You can cut back on salt and processed foods
- Choose healthy fats like olive oil and avocados
Stay Active
- Engage in low- to moderate-intensity activities like walking or swimming
- Avoid high-intensity workouts unless cleared by your cardiologist
Quit Smoking
Habits play an important role. Smoking accelerates damage to heart tissues and blood vessels. Quitting drastically reduces risks and improves outcomes of the treatment.
Manage Stress
The chronic stress increases blood pressure and heart strain. Try mindfulness, breathing exercises, or talking to a therapist or even yoga. Ask for help from your family, friends, and loved ones.
Limit Alcohol and Caffeine
If taken more than the limit, both can cause arrhythmias and increase blood pressure. You see, moderation is key here and everywhere.
Keep Up with Vaccinations
Infections like the flu or pneumonia can worsen heart valve conditions. Stay protected with regular immunisations. Immunity plays a vital role in getting back on your feet.
Emotional Impact: Don’t Overlook It
We know that heart disease is not just physical damage. It can stir up many emotions, making the patient’s and their loved one’s emotions go up and down. It can cause many things like fear, anxiety and frustration, making you doubt yourself. You need to know that it is completely normal. You can ask for help from people around you. There are support groups, therapy sessions and family, and even doctors can help you. you;
The heart is not just a machine; it is emotional too. Taking care of your mental health is part of managing this condition.
The Final Beat: What Is Your Heart Telling You?
The heart works tirelessly for everyone, every beat, every second and every day. So, when the heart starts sending the signals that something is not right with it, please do not avoid it or ignore them. Recognising the symptoms of heart valve disease early can save your life.
There are many signs the heart throws at you, like subtle flutters, swelling in your legs, or gasping for air on a short walk. Heart does not give up easily. Spot these signs; take action. The earlier you act, the more options you have and the better your chances at full recovery.
The thing most people do not understand is that heart valve disease is not a death sentence. It is a wake-up call. Always listen to your heart. Do better. Visit your doctor for regular health check-ups. Your heart’s been listening to you all your life; you should too.
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