Understanding heart valve disease and its effect on cardiovascular health is important so you can get the care you need. Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the four heart valves isn’t working properly. This can lead to shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, or even heart enlargement.
Buckeye Heart & Vascular Institute treats patients with heart valve disease according to each patient’s unique situation and needs. Treatments may consist of simply monitoring a patient’s condition, or in more severe cases, require heart valve repair or replacement surgery. Knowledge is power when it comes to cardiovascular diseases.
Heart Valve Disease Symptoms and Diagnosis
Some patients don’t have any symptoms, while others experience several. Some common symptoms of heart valve disease include:
- Fluid retention
- Dizziness
- Heart murmur
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- Fainting
Diagnosis of heart valve disease involves a thorough evaluation of the patient’s heart, through physical examination and testing. Your cardiologist will check for a heart murmur, fluid retention, or an enlarged heart, called cardiomyopathy. They may also recommend tests such as an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, stress test, cardiac catheterization, or chest X-ray to help diagnose the problem.
It’s important to get checked out if you think you have heart valve disease, because if left untreated, it may lead to an increased risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack.
Heart Valve Disease Risk Factors
Heart disease has many causes, but there are several risk factors associated with heart valve disease:
- Severe hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Atherosclerosis
- History of heart attack
- Endocarditis
- Heart failure
Many risk factors for heart valve disease are secondary to other factors associated with lifestyle habits, such as smoking, poor diet, and not getting enough sleep.
Treatment for Heart Valve Disease in Dayton, OH
Each patient’s situation is unique, which is why the specialists at Buckeye Heart & Vascular Institute encourage you to schedule a consultation to determine the best course of treatment for heart valve disease. When caught early, heart valve disease doesn’t require invasive treatment, which lowers risk of complications down the line.