Cardiovascular diseases such as valvular ailments are fatal though not widely known, like high blood pressure or coronary artery disease. The valvular condition occurs when valves are not functioning correctly. Dr. Bhupinder Singh, MD, treats valvular heart disease in Plano at Heart Vascular Care in Texas. He is a board-certified cardiologist with his team of specialists working together to diagnose and treat valvular heart disease. To know of your condition, call Dr. Singh or plan an appointment today via the online tool.
What is Valvular Heart Disease?
Valvular heart disease happens when any of your heart valves fail to work as required. The heart has a composition of several valves that work together to help the blood flow in the needed direction. In case one or several of the valves fail to close or open appropriately, it can cause a disturbance in the blood circulation. If not medically attended to, the valvular condition can cause difficulty in your normal body functioning and even death.
What Causes Valvular Heart Disease?
Acquiring valvular conditions happen before you are born or at any point during your life. At times the cause is not known. Some of the known reasons include:
Congenital valve disease
Mainly influences the pulmonic or aortic valve; it could be because of malformation of valve leaflets causing improper attachment of the leaflet to the annulus.
Bicuspid aortic valve disease
The condition affects the aortic valve. Usually, the bicuspid aortic valve has three leaflets. If it lacks the third, it can result in stiffness (not closing appropriately) or the valve to be leaky (not closing tightly.)
Acquired valve disease
In such a case, valves were once regular, but structural changes took root due to infections or diseases such as endocarditis.
What Are The Symptoms Of Valvular Disease?
- Swelling of the ankles and legs (edema)
- Chest pain.
- Swelling in the abdomen.
You might also encounter shortness of breath after lying down or during exercises.
Are There Different Types Of Valvular Heart Disease?
The different types of valvular disease include:
In this condition, the valve flaps do not close appropriately, causing a backflow of blood to the heart. Types of regurgitation include mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary regurgitations.
Atresia is associated with the improper formation of your heart valves. It has a characterization of a solid tissue sheet that prevents blood from accessing the heart.
Stenosis is a condition where the valve thickens and stiffens, thus narrowing, causing blood flow via the valve to reduce. The types of stenosis include tricuspid, mitral, aortic, and pulmonary stenosis.
How is Heart Valvular Disease Diagnosed?
Dr. Singh first performs a physical assessment and your medical history. He then asks about your lifestyle and disease symptoms. Using a stethoscope, he will listen to your heart. A slight heart murmur will denote a valve complication.
He might recommend using complex tests if the above does not give the required results. It can be through the use of cardiac MRI, echocardiogram, or electrocardiogram. They offer heart imaging and information on your electrical activity.
What is Involved in Valvular Disease Treatment?
Depending on the severity, Dr. Singh will recommend lifestyle adjustments, prescribe medications or surgical procedures. The surgeries provided by Dr. Singh are heart surgery or heart valve replacement surgery (uses an artificial valve.)
To learn more about your valvular condition, call Dr. Singh or book an appointment via the online tool today.