What Is Heart Valve Disease?

The heart's valves play a pivotal role in the flow of blood through the heart. When these crucial valves falter, a potentially life-threatening condition known as heart valve disease (HVD) emerges.

Ryan P. Daly, MD FACC, FASE, a member of the heart valve team at Franciscan Health Indianapolis and Fellow of both the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and the Society of Cardiac Magnetic Imaging (FSCMR), answers your questions and shares expert insight about heart valve disease.

What Is Heart Valve Disease?

“Heart valve disease refers to any condition that affects one or more of the four valves in the heart,” Dr. Daly said. “Heart valves are flap-like structures that open and close to regulate blood flow through the heart's chambers and prevent blood from flowing back in the wrong direction.”

There are several types of heart valve disease, including:

• Stenosis: Stenosis is when a heart valve becomes narrowed or stiff, which can make it harder for blood to flow through the valve.
• Regurgitation: Regurgitation is when a heart valve doesn't close properly, allowing blood to flow back in the wrong direction.
• Atresia: Atresia is when a heart valve doesn't form properly, and there is no opening for blood to flow through.

Heart valve disease can develop quickly or over a long period, and people may not experience symptoms until the condition is advanced.

What Causes Heart Valve Disease?

Heart valve disease can be caused by many things. Sometimes people are born with a predisposition to valve disease. Sometimes the heart valves become diseased and stop functioning properly.

Some valve disease may be caused by an infection. Others are degenerative caused by wear and tear, age, blood pressure or cholesterol. It is difficult to reliably determine exactly how leaky or how narrowed the valve is just by listening to it. These valves frequently require imaging with an ultrasound test called an echocardiogram.

Leaking Valves In The Heart

Regurgitation is a term used to describe a heart valve that allows blood to leak backward. This leaking causes the heart to do more work than necessary. When the leak becomes severe, the affected chamber will frequently dilate (enlarge). Sometimes the heart function can get weak or impaired, leading to heart failure.

Narrowing Heart Valves

Another problem affecting heart valves is a narrowing of the valve, called stenosis. Blood has difficulty leaving a narrowed opening. This occurs when the valve does not open completely.

“Think of putting your thumb over the end of a hose,” Dr. Daly said. “The leaky valves or narrowed valves cause an acceleration of blood which can be heard with a stethoscope, producing a characteristic sound, or heart murmur. The best way to think of this is again, to think of the sound a garden hose makes when you cover the end of it with you thumb. The sound changes to something like a hiss.”

What Are The Symptoms Of Heart Valve Disease?

Heart valve disease may cause symptoms including:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Discomfort
• Pressure
• Fatigue
• Swelling of the extremities

If untreated, heart valve disease could cause heart failure or life-threatening conditions. It's vital to seek help when you notice these kinds of symptoms.

What Is The Treatment For Heart Valve Disease?

In general, heart valve disease cannot be treated with medicines or pills. Treatment for heart valve disease may include surgery to repair or replace the affected valve.

If you have been told that you have a heart murmur, you should be evaluated by a physician. If you have been told that you have moderate or severe heart valve disease, you may see a cardiologist for further care. The cardiologist will continue to monitor the heart, valve function and symptoms to determine if further intervention is needed. Some patients require surgical valve replacement or repair (open heart surgery). Other patients are best served with less invasive procedures where valves can be replaced or repaired using a catheter, called TAVR or Mitra-Clip.