Valvular Disease Specialist

What is valvular disease?

Valvular disease describes conditions that damage your heart. In a healthy heart, four valves close and open to regulate the flow of blood into and out of your heart.

When you have valvular disease, the valves may not open or close completely, allowing blood to leak backward. This valve dysfunction may occur if your valves become stiff or narrow, making your heart work harder to pump blood.

Other common causes of valvular disease include:

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• High blood pressure
• Bacterial infections
• Autoimmune disease
• Hardening of the blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
• Infections in the lining of the heart (endocarditis)

If left untreated, valvular disease can lead to cardiac arrest, heart failure, and sudden death.

What are the symptoms of valvular disease?

Valvular disease can develop gradually over time or may occur suddenly. You might not experience any symptoms of the disease until it progresses into advanced stages.

Sudden onset of valvular disease can cause symptoms like:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath

You may also experience frequent episodes of dizziness or fainting.

How is valvular disease diagnosed?

During your evaluation for valvular disease-related symptoms, your provider at South Palm Cardiovascular Associates listens to your heart. They check for a murmur that can indicate which valve has damage and whether blood is leaking from the valve.

You may also need echocardiography testing that uses sound waves to create moving images of your heart valves to see if they’re working properly.

How is valvular disease treated?

If you have early stages of valvular disease, the team at South Palm Cardiovascular Associates may recommend medications to treat your symptoms.

When you have noticeable symptoms of valvular disease, you may need surgery to repair or replace the damaged valve.

Your provider creates a treatment plan that focuses on your needs and your recovery. They offer home monitoring services to record information about the function of your heart after surgery to reduce your risk for further complications.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of valvular disease, don’t delay an evaluation with the team at South Palm Cardiovascular Associates. You can book an appointment online or by calling the office today.