Are there any distinct indicators of heart valve disease?
Are There Any Distinct Indicators Of Heart Valve Disease?
- Introduction
- What is National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day?
- How are Murmurs in Valvular Heart Disease Detected and What do they Indicate?
- Which Approach to Heart Valve Disease Treatment is Ideal?
- What is Valvular Heart Disease?
- Are there Genetic Tests to check for Congenital Defects that Cause Valvular Heart Disease?
- Is Degenerative Valvular Heart Disease Different from valvular heart disease?
Introduction
Failure to take note of distinctive symptoms and indications of heart valve disease is one of the reasons for a large number of hospitalizations. Many patients are unaware of the condition until an advanced stage or progression of the condition. There are certain tell -tale symptoms that clearly indicate heart valve disease and the right approach, on time can save lives and improve quality of life.
What Is National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day?
February 22, is observed globally as the National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day. The purpose is to raise awareness about heart valve disease, the condition affecting the heart’s valves, impacting flow of blood in the heart. This day is used for running campaigns to help people recognize symptoms, like fatigue, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.
Most of these symptoms are often overlooked or misunderstood as indications of other conditions or aging related signs. With timely detection and treatment, the quality of life will considerably improve and most importantly prevent serious outcomes.
How Are Murmurs In Valvular Heart Disease Detected And What Do They Indicate?
Abnormal sounds in the heart as a result of disturbed flow of blood due to afflicted heart valves are known as murmurs. These murmurs indicate valvular heart disease and are detected through a stethoscope during physical examination. Here is a look at the process and the findings from murmurs among patients with heart valve disease.
Murmurs are detected using a stethoscope on various areas such as the chest and back, in a process known as auscultation. The actual location of the abnormal sounds in the chest and the timing help in zeroing in on the affected valve. For instance, murmurs may occur either during the systolic or diastolic phase, and this helps in identifying the valve. When a murmur is detected, it is usually followed by an echocardiogram, to conclusively identify the heart valves and to confirm the diagnosis.
Murmurs are tell-tale signs of the nature of fault in the heart valves, such as stenosis, a condition where the valve is narrowed, affecting flow of blood. Another condition is regurgitation, where the valve leaks, causing blood to flow back. Additionally, different valves may have specific murmurs, such as aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation etc.
Which Approach To Heart Valve Disease Treatment Is Ideal?
The ideal treatment of heart valve disease may rely on one of many approaches, and will depend on the intensity, the nature and the stage of the disease. It is therefore difficult to claim that certain approaches are better than other approaches. The different treatment options include the following:
- Periodic monitoring – ideal for mild cases, especially cases without aggravated symptoms. Actions include periodic monitoring and follow-ups for appointment.
- Medicines – are useful in managing symptoms and also help prevent complications. Medicines include diuretics, beta-blockers, anticoagulants.
- Surgery – may be required when the condition is serious. This could either be for surgically replacing the damaged valve or surgically repairing the damaged valve. The replacement valves could either be mechanical or biological.
- Other minimally invasive procedures – include transcatheter aortic valve replacement for patients unsuitable for open-heart surgery.
What Is Valvular Heart Disease?
This is a condition wherein one or more valves of the heart are defective. There are four valves in the heart – mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary. These valves regulate the flow of blood through the heart and the body. Different types of heart valve disease cause malfunctioning of the vales, affecting flow of blood. These conditions include:
- Stenosis – when a valve is narrowed, affecting blood flow.
- Regurgitation – when a valve fails to close as required, causing leakage of blood.
- Prolapse – when the flap of the valve bulges inward, causing regurgitation.
The causes of the condition include congenital heart defects, natural age related changes, specific infections, and other degenerative diseases.
Are There Genetic Tests To Check For Congenital Defects That Cause Valvular Heart Disease?
There are genetic tests that can help to look for congenital defects that cause valvular heart disease. There are three types of tests:
- Targeted gene panels – are tests that look at specific genes associated with congenital heart defects that affect heart valves. These tests identify mutations in genes that have a role in the development of the heart.
- Whole exome sequencing – is a comprehensive test of all the protein-coding regions of the genome. This permits identification of rare or novel genetic variants linked to congenital heart diseases.
- Whole genome sequencing – is a test that analyzes the entire genome, offering complete information to identify genetic variants not covered by the above two tests.
Advanced genetic testing facilities are presently available in Tamilnadu, offering a detailed analysis of your saliva or blood samples. This uncovers inherited conditions and congenital defects, facilitating timely treatment.
Is Degenerative Valvular Heart Disease Different From Valvular Heart Disease?
Yes, degenerative valvular heart disease is a subset of valvular heart disease. Though both the conditions and terms indicate some heart valve disease, there is a distinct difference between the subset and the main condition. Here is a quick look at the main differences of degenerative valvular heart disease.
The condition refers to the progressively worsening condition of the heart valves. This could be as a result of advancing age or normal wear and tear. The condition involves the gradual loss of structural integrity of the valves, and this results in issues such as stenosis or regurgitation. The main reason is typically age-related degeneration. For instance, calcification of valve leaflets or changes that occur in the tissue composition of the valves. There could be other reasons such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
The main difference can be summed up as follows:
- Valvular heart disease refers to all types of valve problems, whereas degenerative valvular heart disease refers only to age-related deterioration that affects valve function.
- Degenerative valvular heart disease is mostly due to chronic wear and tear, which occurs over time, whereas valvular heart disease is attributed to either congenital defects or infections.
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Shetty B s a cardiologist in Chennai, with extensive experience in the field. He completed his MBBS from Madurai Kamaraj University, followed by an MD in General Medicine and a DM in Cardiology from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU).