As many as 15.3 million Americans have heart valve disease, yet 3 out of 4 people know little to nothing about this serious condition, which if left untreated can lead to heart failure and death. Kristin Barnes, APRN-CNP of Aultman Deuble Heart & Vascular Hospital’s Structural Heart program, provides information about the symptoms and treatment of heart valve disease.

About Heart Valve Disease

Heart valve disease involves damage to one or more of your heart’s four valves. There are two types of damage that can cause problems. Stenosis keeps the valve from opening or closing properly. Regurgitation disrupts blood flow.

Valve damage can develop from cardiovascular disease, age, infections (such as endocarditis), rheumatic fever, family history or certain cancer treatments such as chest radiation. Two of the most common valvular problems are aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation. Once they become severe, both issues should be corrected.

One in five people aged 75 and older have heart valve disease. And for 1 in 10 of these people, their heart valve disease is moderate to severe.

Early treatment is key. No matter your age or symptoms, studies show that early diagnosis and treatment provide the best long-term outcomes and improvement in quality of life.

Symptoms

Because heart valve disease can be present even when you don’t have symptoms, regular checkups with your primary care provider are important to maintaining heart health. Your provider can often detect a heart valve problem before it becomes more serious.

But there are warning signs you can watch for. LISTEN to your heart for these symptoms:

L – Lightheaded, faint or dizzy

I – Irregular heartbeat and/or chest pain

S – Shortness of breath after light activity or while lying down

T – Tiredness, even if you’ve had plenty of sleep

E – Edema (swelling of the ankles and feet)

N – Not feeling like yourself (missing out on daily activities)

Diagnosis and Treatment

Whether or not you are experiencing symptoms, the best way to find out if you have heart valve disease is having a healthcare provider listen to your heart for abnormal sounds called murmurs. If a murmur is detected or progressing, your healthcare provider may also do an echocardiogram to confirm the diagnosis and form a treatment plan.

Needing a valve replacement or repair does not necessarily mean open-heart surgery. For most patients over the age of 65, Aultman Deuble Heart & Vascular Hospital can offer minimally invasive options for treating significant valvular problems.

Valve disease interventions include transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), mitral and tricuspid transcatheter edge-edge repair (TEER), transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) and balloon angioplasty.

Sources:
American College of Cardiology
American Heart Association