Valvular heart disease or valve disease can even be present at birth (congenital) or it can develop at any period of time throughout a persons life span. There are times when the exact valvular heart disease caauses cannot be discovered. Valvular heart disease is broken down into congenital valve disease, bicuspid aortic valve disease, acquired valve disease and mitral valve prolapse (MVP).
When valve disease is present at birth, it is referred to as congenital valve disease. This type generally affects the pulmonic valve or the aortic valve. Sometimes the valves are simply not the correct size or else the leaflets have not formed properly.
Bicuspid aortic valve disease is congenital as well and in this case the bicuspid aortic valve has two cusps or leaflets instead of the three it is supposed to have. This can cause the valve to be stiff, leaky or both.
Acquired valve disease is any problem that happens as a result of once normal valves. Sometimes the makeup of valves change as a result of infections or diseases. Rheumatic fever causes the heart valve to become red and inflamed and the leaflets to cling together. This then leads to the heart valves becoming unnecessarily thickened, shortened, rigid and scarred. This can then lead to mitral regurgitation. Rheumatic fever often occurs as a result of a bacterial infection, one of the most common being strep throat. However the vast array of antibiotics that are available today have greatly reduced the incidence of this infection.
Another disease that can cause acquired valve disease is endocarditis. This disease happens when bacteria and germs make their way into the bloodstream and then begin to invade the valves of the heart. This attack causes growths to begin in the heart valves as well as holes to take place. This can then lead to scarring of the heart valves. Leaky valves end up being the result of all of this. Germs that cause endocarditis can come about as a result of surgery, IV drug use, dental surgery and/or serious types of infections. Anyone who suffers from valve disease (excluding those who have mitral valve prolapse) is at a terrible risk of getting endocarditis, which can be fatal if not treated immediately.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is very widespread and affects on average one to two percent of the American population on an annual basis. This disorder causes the mitral valve leaflets to fall back into the left atrium while the heart is contracting. MVP also makes the valve tissues become strange in shape and they become stretchy and cause seepage. It is rare for MVP to bring on any symptoms at all with a patient and most of the time it does not necessitate any kind of special medical treatment.
The above diseases and disorders are the most common causes of MVP but there are other causes as well. A visit to the doctor and a variety of tests should help pinpoint the exact cause of valve disease if you are diagnosed with it. Other causes include coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy (or heart muscle disease), heart attack, hypertension, aortic aneurysms, connective tissue diseases, and sexually transmitted disease (the most common being syphilis). There are also less common reasons for valve disease such as tumors, radiation and an assortment of drug treatments.
Valvular heart disease or simply heart valve disease takes place when the valves of the heart do not work in the way they were meant to. The American Heart Association estimates that in the United States on an annual basis, five million people are diagnosed with valvular heart disease. Lets take a closer look at this debilitating disease.
The heart is composed of four chambers and at the exit of each of these chambers lays a valve. These valves allow for the flow of blood on a one-way basis through to the heart. It is the job of each of the four heart valves to ensure that blood can flow easily and freely in a simple and forward direction to the heart and also to ensure that there is no leakage of blood in a backward direction. It is important to note that blood flows from your right and left atria into your ventricles through the open mitral and tricuspid valves.
When the ventricles are full of blood both the tricuspid as well as the mitral valves completely shut in order to prevent any blood from managing to flow in a backward direction and into the atria. In the meantime the ventricles go through a squeezing or contracting action.
When the ventricles start their contracting action, this forces the aortic and pulmonic valves to open and blood is then easily pumped from the ventricles and through the valves that are opened. The blood is then transported into the pulmonary artery and from there is taken in the direction of the lungs, the aorta of the heart and finally the rest of the body. Once the ventricles stop contracting they are then able to relax. When this relaxation happens, it causes both the aortic and pulmonic valves to close shut. By doing so, the valves do not allow any blood whatsoever to make its way back into the ventricles. This pattern of blood transportation is done over and over again and makes it possible for blood to maintain a consistent flow to the heart, the lungs and to every area of the human body.
There are different kinds of valvular heart disease. Generally it is classified as being valvular stenosis and valvular insufficiency. Valvular stenosis takes place when an opening for a valve is smaller than it should be due to leaflets that are fused or stiff. The fact that the opening is narrowed means that the heart has a more difficult time transporting blood through it. Valvular stenosis can lead to heart failure if not kept in check. When four valves of the heart are deemed as stenotic this means that they are hardened and blood flow is restricted. In this way the name of the condition becomes known as pulmonic stenosis, aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis or tricuspid stenosis.
Valvular insufficiency is when a valve is not able to close as tightly as it needs to close. This condition causes blood to leak backwards and causes the heart to work harder but also a limited amount of blood reaches the body. Valvular insufficiency is sometimes called a leaky valve, or incompetence or regurgitation.
Verlyn Ross has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Golf Guide and Other Conditions. Verlyn Ross owns and operates a website dedicated specifically to providing health and fitness information. It includes a wealth of articles in which you may have an interest. I invite you to. Verlyn Ross's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.