What are heart valves?
You have 4 heart valves
- Aortic.
- Mitral.
- Pulmonic.
- Tricuspid.
What do valves do?
Keep blood flowing through the heart in the right direction.
How do valves work?
Little flaps called leaflets open and close to let blood in and out.
What are valve problems?
- Stenosis (sten-oh-sis) – Stiff, narrow valves make it hard for blood to move through the valve.
- Regurgitation (ree-gur-ji-tay-shun) - Leaky valves let blood move backward.
What causes valve disease?
- Sometimes you are born with it.
- An infection, even one you had a long time ago.
- The valve can change over time.
- Sometimes doctors can’t figure out how it happened.
How does valve disease make me feel?
- Short of breath.
- Heart palpitations (heart skipping or fluttering).
- Chest pain or pressure.
- Swollen ankles, feet or belly.
- Fast weight gain.
- Tired.
- Weak or dizzy.
CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OR IF THEY GET WORSE.
How do I know if I have valve disease?
- Doctor hears heart sounds that aren’t normal (heart murmur).
- Echocardiogram (echo) – to check your heart valves.
What can I do if I have valve disease?
- See your doctor for regular visits.
- Take your medicine like your doctor tells you to.
- Make lifestyle changes – good blood pressure, stop smoking, healthy diet and exercise.
- You may need valve repair or a new valve.
- There are different ways to fix or replace the valve.
- There are different kinds of valves to replace the old one.
- Your doctor will talk to you about your treatment options and help you choose the best one.
