VALVULAR HEART DISEASE

Valves are essential to the heart's pumping function by timed opening and closing to allow the flow of blood through the heart's four chambers. Each valve controls the flow of blood, causing it to flow forward into the next chamber. When the valves become diseased, the pumping efficiency of the heart eventually becomes impaired over time. The valve can develop one or both of the following problems:

Stenosis - The valve opening becomes narrow thereby restricting the forward flow of blood through

Regurgitation - The valve does not close tight completely thereby allowing flow of blood backwards.

Treatment of Valvular Heart Disease

There are different treatment options depending on the severity, complexity of the valvular disease and associated co-morbidities.

• Surgical valve repair
• Surgical valve replacement
• Percutaneous valvuloplasty