b312a57f81d47c Search

Powered by JRank

Health
faqs.org Health Hand-foot-mouth disease to Human anatomy

Heart valve disorders

There are various kinds of heart valve disorders. Five major ones are mitralvalve
insufficiency, mitral valve prolapse, mitral valve stenosis, tricuspidvalve
insufficiency, and tricuspid valve stenosis.

Mitral valve insufficiency is a term used when the valve between the upper left
chamber of the heart (atrium) and the lower left chamber (ventricle) doesn't close
well enough to prevent back flow of blood when the ventricle contracts. Mitral valve
insufficiency is also known as mitral valve regurgitation ormitral valve incompetence.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a ballooning of the support structures of themitral

heart valve into the left upper collection chamber of the heart.

The term stenosis means an abnormal narrowing of an opening. Mitral valve stenosis
refers to a condition in the heart in which one of the valve openings has become
narrow and restricts the flow of blood from the upper left chamber(left atrium) to the
lower left chamber (left ventricle).

Tricuspid valve insufficiency occurs when a tricuspid valve does not close tightly
enough to prevent leakage. This condition is also called tricuspid valve regurgitation
and tricuspid incompetence.

Tricuspid valve stenosis is a narrowing or stiffening of the opening in the valve. This
stenosis causes increased resistance to blood flow through the valve.

Normally, blood enters the left atrium of the heart from the lungs and is pumped
through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. The left ventricle contracts to pump
the blood forward into the aorta. The aorta is a large artery that sends oxygenated
blood through the circulatory system to all of the tissues in the body. If the mitral
valve is leaky due to mitral valve insufficiency, it allows some blood to get pushed
back into the atrium. This extra bloodcreates an increase in pressure in the atrium,
which then increases blood pressure in the vessels that bring the blood from the
lungs to the heart. Increased pressure in these vessels can result in increased fluid
buildup in the lungs.

When these structures weaken or lengthen abnormally, the valve may balloon into
the left atrium. Sometimes this can cause the mitral valve to leak blood backward.

This condition may be inherited and occurs in approximately 10% of the population.
It affects more women than men and often peaks after the age of 40.

If the mitral valve is abnormally narrow, due to disease or birth defect, blood flow
from the atrium to the ventricle is restricted. This restricted flowleads to an increase
in the pressure of blood in the left atrium. Over a period of time, this back pressure
causes fluid to leak into the lungs. It can also lead to an abnormal heart rhythm
(atrial fibrillation), which further decreases the efficiency of the pumping action of
the heart.

The tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle of the
heart. When the right ventricle contracts, it is supposed to pump blood forward into
the lungs. If the tricuspid valve does not close tightly, some of that blood leaks back
into the right atrium. When the atrium receivesits usual quantity of blood from veins
leading to the heart, plus the leakingblood, the pressure inside the atrium increases.
This higher pressure creates resistance to the flow of blood in the veins that enter the
atrium from thebody. In addition, this increase in pressure causes the right atrium to
enlarge over time. Congestion from fluid buildup occurs, particularly in the liver and
legs.

The tricuspid valve is the largest of the four valves in the heart. When it is narrowed
or stiffened, it decreases the amount of blood that can flow through it. This decrease
raises the pressure in the right atrium and causes the atrium to enlarge. It also causes
the right ventricle to shrink, and lowers the cardiac output.

In the past, rheumatic fever was the most common cause of mitral valve
insufficiency. However, the increased use of antibiotics for strep throat has
maderheumatic fever rare in developed countries. In these countries, mitral
valveinsufficiency caused by rheumatic fever is seen mostly in the elderly. In
countries with less developed health care, rheumatic fever is still common andis
often a cause of mitral valve insufficiency.

Heart attacks that damage the structures that support the mitral valve are acommon
cause of mitral valve insufficiency. Myxomatous degeneration can causea "floppy"
mitral valve that leaks. In other cases, the valve simply deteriorates with age and
becomes less efficient.

People with mitral valve insufficiency may not have any symptoms at all. It is often
discovered during a doctor's visit when the doctor listens to the heart sounds.

Both the left atrium and left ventricle tend to get a little bigger when themitral valve
does not work properly. The ventricle has to pump more blood soit gets bigger to
increase the force of each beat. The atrium gets bigger tohold the extra blood. An
enlarged ventricle can cause palpitations. An enlarged atrium can develop an erratic
rhythm (atrial fibrillation), which reducesits efficiency and can lead to blood clots
forming in the atrium.

MVP may occur due to rheumatic heart disease but is usually found in healthypeople.
Changes that occur in the valve are caused by rapid multiplication ofcells in the
middle layer that presses on the outer layer. The outer layer weakens, causing a
prolapse of the valve toward the left atrium.

Most persons do not have symptoms. Those that do may experience sharp, left-sided
chest pain. Some complain of fatigue, or a pounding feeling in the chest. Others can
have an irregular heart beat and even pass out. Some persons mayexperience
difficulty breathing, ankle swelling, and fluid in the lungs. Other symptoms may
include anxiety, headaches, morning tiredness, and constantlycold hands and feet.
Death from this condition is rare.

Mitral valve stenosis is also almost always caused by rheumatic fever. As a result of
rheumatic fever, the leaflets that form the opening of the valve arepartially fused
together. Mitral valve stenosis can also be present at birth. Babies born with this
problem usually require surgery if they are to survive. Sometimes, growths or tumors
can block the mitral valve, mimicking mitralvalve stenosis.
If the restriction is severe, the increased blood pressure can lead to heartfailure. The
first symptoms of heart failure, which are fatigue and shortnessof breath, usually
appear only during physical activity. As the condition gets worse, symptoms may also
be felt even during rest. A person may also develop a deep red coloring in the cheeks.

Tricuspid valve insufficiency usually produces vague symptoms, such as general

weakness and fatigue. As the conditions worsens, a person experiences painin the
upper right part of the abdomen, caused by a congested and enlarged liver. The legs
may also swell (edema).

Tricuspid valve stenosis, again, is most often the result of rheumatic fever.On rare
occasions, it is caused by a tumor or disease of the connective tissue. The rarest cause
is a birth defect.

A person with tricuspid valve stenosis may experience generalized weakness and
fatigue. Many people have palpitations and can feel fluttering in their neck. Over
time, there may be pain in the upper right abdomen, due to increasedcongestion and
enlargement of the liver.

When the doctor listens to the heart sounds, mitral valve insufficiency is generally
recognized by the sound the blood makes as it leaks backward. It sounds like a
regurgitant murmur. The next step is generally a chest x ray and
anelectrocardiogram (ECG) to see if the heart is enlarged. The most
definitivenoninvasive test is echocardiography, a test that uses sound waves to make
an image of the heart. This test gives a picture of the valve in action and shows the
severity of the problem.

The diagnosis of MVP is based on symptoms and physical exam. During the exam,the
physician may hear a click and/or heart murmur with a stethoscope. The best
diagnostic test for MVP is the echocardiogram.

Mitral valve stenosis is usually detected by a physician listening to heart sounds.

Normal heart valves open silently to permit the flow of blood. A stenotic valve makes
a snapping sound followed by a "rumbling" murmur. The condition can be confirmed
with a chest x ray and an electrocardiogram, both of which will show an enlarged
atrium. If surgery is necessary, cardiac catheterization may be done to fully evaluate
the heart before the operation.
A severely impaired valve needs to be repaired or replaced. Either option will require
surgery. Repairing the valve can fix the problem completely or reduce it enough to
make it bearable and prevent damage to the heart. Valves canbe replaced with either
a mechanical valve or one that is partly mechanical and partly from a pig's heart.

Mechanical valves are effective but can increase the incidence of blood clots. To
prevent blood clots from forming, the patient will need to take drugs that prevent
abnormal blood clotting (anticoagulants). The valves made partly from a pigs
heart don't have as great a risk of blood clots, but they don't last as long as fully
mechanical valves. If a valve wears out, it must be replaced again.

Repair can be accomplished in two ways. In the first method, balloon valvuloplasty,
the doctor will try to stretch the valve opening by threading a thin tube (catheter)
with a balloon tip through a vein and into the heart. Once thecatheter is positioned in
the valve, the balloon is inflated, separating thefused areas. The second method
involves opening the heart and surgically separating the fused areas.

Damaged heart valves are easily infected. Anytime a procedure is contemplatedthat

might allow infectious organisms to enter the blood, the person with mitral valve
insufficiency should take antibiotics to prevent possible infection.

Persons who experience certain types of an irregular heartbeat with MVP should be
treated. Propranolol (Inderal) or other beta blockers or digoxin (Lanoxin) are often
helpful. Persons who develop moderate to severe symptoms with aleaky mitral valve
may require repair or replacement of the mitral valve withan artificial heart valve.
Persons with MVP and a leaky valve need to protect themselves from heart or heart
valve infections. Antibiotics should be taken before any surgical, dental or oral
procedures according to the American Heart Association recommendations.

Tricuspid valve insufficiency itself usually does not require treatment, since a tiny
leakage occurs in most normal people. In certain cases, however, ifthere is
underlying pulmonary valve disease or lung disease, those conditionsshould be
treated.

If irregular heart rhythms or heart failure are present, they are usually treated
independently of the valve insufficiency.
Since a person with known tricuspid valve insufficiency is at risk for infections of the
heart, antibiotics should be taken before and after oral or dental surgery, or urologic
procedures.

Tricuspid valve stenosis itself usually doesn't require treatment. However, if there is
damage to other valves in the heart as well, then surgical repairor replacement must
be considered.

The only possible way to prevent mitral valve insufficiency and stenosis, aswell as
tricuspid valve stenosis, is to prevent rheumatic fever. This can bedone by evaluating
sore throats for the presence of the bacteria that causesstrep throat. Strep throat is
easily treated with antibiotics.

In general, tricuspid valve insufficiency cannot be prevented.

User Contributions:

1
charles

Jul 9, 2011 @ 2:14 pm

I have 4 mild valve leaks, enlarges left ventricle, and enlarged left atrium. i've noticed
when i lift my left arm above my head and (or) height length of my heart, i feel tightness
in my heart and left arm. what could cause this?

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information

about this topic:
/health/topics/82/

Name:
E-mail:
Show my email publicly

Type the code shown:

232-
Public Comment: (50-4000 characters)

Send

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the
advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical
condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of Content found on the Website.

Copyright 2017 Advameg, Inc.

Read more: http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/82/Heart-valve-

disorders.html#ixzz4csaa2qUb