What are the signs of heart valve disease?
These are the most common symptoms of heart valve disease:
- Chest pain.
- Palpitations caused by irregular heartbeats.
- Fatigue.
- Dizziness.
- Low or high blood pressure, depending on which valve disease is present.
- Shortness of breath.
- Abdominal pain due to an enlarged liver (if there is tricuspid valve malfunction)
- Leg swelling.
What is the most common heart valve disease?
Any valve in the heart can become diseased, but the aortic valve is most commonly affected. Diseased valves can become “leaky” where they don’t completely close; this is called regurgitation.
How long can you live with heart valve disease?
In developing countries, it progresses much more rapidly and may lead to symptoms in children less than 5 years of age. Around 80% of patients with mild symptoms live for at least 10 years after diagnosis.
What is the major cause of cardiac valve disease?
Heart valve disease occurs when your heart’s valves do not work correctly. Common causes of valve disease include rheumatic fever, birth defects, degeneration over time and infection. This can be caused by valvular stenosis or valvular insufficiency.
What is the average age for heart valve replacement?
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association currently recommend mechanical valves for people under age 50 and biologic valves for those over 70. Between those ages, the groups say, neither type has a clear advantage.
Is heart valve disease serious?
If you have valve disease, you are at higher risk for developing endocarditis, a serious condition. People who have had their valve surgically repaired or replaced are also at higher risk for endocarditis. To protect yourself: Tell your doctors and dentist you have heart valve disease.
What are the two categories of heart valve disorders?
Stenosis is when the valve opening becomes narrow and restricts blood flow. Prolapse is when a valve slips out of place or the valve flaps (leaflets) do not close properly. Regurgitation is when blood leaks backward through a valve, sometimes due to prolapse.
How serious is a heart valve problem?
Does heart valve replacement shorten life expectancy?
Patients who have undergone surgical replacement of the heart’s aortic valve have a shorter life expectancy than the normal population, the loss in life expectancy being particularly marked in the young.
Which is better pig or cow valve?
In conclusion, the bovine valve is superior in its complication and haemodynamic profiles. Both bovine and porcine valves have comparable results with regard to the mortality, postoperative functional status and valve durability.
How serious is heart valve surgery?
An aortic valve replacement is a major operation and occasionally the complications can be fatal. Overall, the risk of dying as a result of the procedure is estimated to be 2%. But this risk is far lower than the risk associated with leaving severe aortic disease untreated.
What medication is used for heart valve disease?
These medications may include: Medications such as beta-blockers, digoxin and calcium channel blockers to rcontrol the heart rate and helping to prevent abnormal heart rhythms.