Heart Valve Disease: A Simple Guide
What it is
Your heart has four valves that act like one-way doors, keeping blood flowing in the
right direction. Heart valve disease happens when one or more of these valves don't open or close properly.
A Closer Look at Your Heart's Valves:
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Stenosis: The valve opening becomes narrowed and stiff. The heart has to work harder to push blood through the smaller opening.
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Regurgitation (Leaky Valve): The valve doesn't close tightly. Some blood leaks
backward instead of flowing forward, making the heart work harder to repump it.
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Aortic Valve : Controls blood flow from your heart out to the rest of your body. A
common problem is aortic stenosis, where calcium builds up and narrows the valve,
which can cause chest pain and fainting. -
Mitral Valve : Located between the two left chambers of your heart. A common issue is mitral valve prolapse, where the valve flaps bulge backward. It can also become leaky (regurgitation) or narrowed (stenosis).
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Tricuspid Valve : Controls blood flow between the two right chambers. It is more likely to become leaky than narrowed, often due to high pressure in the lungs.
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Pulmonic Valve : Controls blood flow from your heart to your lungs. Problems with this valve, like narrowing, are often congenital (present at birth).
Common Symptoms of Valve Disease:
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Shortness of breath, especially when active or lying flat
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Fatigue and weakness
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Swelling in your ankles, feet, or abdomen
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A fluttering or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
