Heart valve disease
Heart Valve Disease
Heart valve disease (pronunciation: /hɑːrt vælv diːˈziːz/) is a medical condition that involves one or more of the four heart valves: the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, and aortic valve.
Etymology
The term "heart valve disease" is derived from the Latin words 'cor' meaning heart, 'valva' meaning folding door, and the Greek word 'nosos' meaning disease.
Definition
Heart valve disease occurs when your heart's valves do not work the way they should. The valves sit at the exit of each of your four heart chambers and maintain one-way blood flow through your heart.
Types of Heart Valve Disease
There are several types of heart valve disease, including:
- Valvular stenosis: This occurs when a heart valve doesn't fully open due to stiff or fused leaflets. The narrowed opening may make the heart work very hard to pump blood through it. This can lead to heart failure.
- Valvular insufficiency: Also known as regurgitation, incompetence or "leaky valve", this occurs when a valve does not close tightly. If the valves do not seal, some blood will leak backwards across the valve.
- Valve prolapse: This occurs when the leaflets of the heart valve bulge (prolapse) backwards into the upper chamber of the heart. It is most commonly associated with the mitral valve of the heart.
Symptoms
Symptoms of heart valve disease can include:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Palpitations (rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeats)
- Swelling of your ankles, feet, or abdomen (stomach area)
- Dizziness or fainting
Treatment
Treatment for heart valve disease depends on the type and severity of the disease. Treatment options can include medication, valve repair, or valve replacement surgery.
Related Terms
- Cardiology: The study of heart diseases and conditions.
- Cardiologist: A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating heart diseases and conditions.
- Echocardiogram: A test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart's chambers, valves, walls and the blood vessels.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Heart valve disease
- Wikipedia's article - Heart valve disease
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