What is heart valve disease?
Heart valve disease happens when one or more of the valves in your heart aren’t working properly. If not treated, it can cause your heart to work harder, reduce blood flow and even become life-threatening over time.
Your heart has four valves that help keep blood flowing in the right direction. These valves are made of tiny flaps of tissue (called leaflets) that open and close during each heartbeat. The leaflets open to let blood move forward and close to stop blood from flowing backward.
The four valves in your heart are:
- Tricuspid valve: Between the right atrium and right ventricle
- Pulmonary valve: Between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
- Mitral valve: Between the left atrium and left ventricle
- Aortic valve: Between the left ventricle and the aorta
Heart valve disease can often be treated if it becomes severe enough to cause symptoms or damage the heart. Your healthcare provider may recommend surgery or a minimally invasive procedure to repair or replace the affected valve. These treatments can restore normal heart function and help you get back to living your life.
Heart valve disease symptoms
Heart valve diseases tend to share symptoms, regardless of which valve is affected. Those symptoms include:
- Angina (chest pain)
- Arrhythmia/Palpitations (irregular heartbeat)
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Fainting
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties with exertion or with lying flat on your back
- Swelling in your ankles, belly or feet
For many people, these symptoms develop over time. Some people may not develop symptoms at all.
What causes heart valve disease?
Valve problems can happen for different reasons. Some people are born with them (congenital), while others develop them as they age or because of another health condition.
Some people are born with valve conditions like bicuspid aortic valve disease (two leaflets instead of three) or Marfan syndrome, which affects connective tissue and leads to valve issues. Acquired causes include chest radiation therapy and age-related wear and tear, which can narrow or weaken valves.
Some forms of the disease can develop after you have a medical condition, such as:
- Infective endocarditis, a bacterial infection in the lining of the heart
- Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, mixed connective tissue disorder and other autoimmune diseases
- Radiation therapy to the chest
- Rheumatic fever, caused by scarring from untreated strep throat
What are the complications of heart valve disease?
Addressing heart valve disease can help protect your health in the long term. When your heart valves don’t function well, your heart experiences additional stress and in rare cases, blood clots. Left untreated, heart valve problems can increase your risk for:
- Heart rhythm abnormalities (atrial fibrillation)
- Congestive heart failure
- Stroke
Recovering from heart valve disease
You may benefit from cardiac rehab, a medically supervised exercise program designed to help you recover from your procedure. You’ll learn healthy lifestyle habits and stress management techniques with additional guidance on medications to help your heart recover and stay as healthy as possible.
Download our heart valve disease and treatments options guide
