Heart Valve Disease
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| The valves most commonly affected by disease are the mitral valve, which controls flow of the blood from the left upper chamber, or atrium, to the left lower chamber, and the aortic valve, which controls blood flow out of the left ventricle to the rest of the body. |
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If valves in the heart that keep blood flowing in the normal direction are damaged or diseased, it can lead to enlargement of the heart and heart failure. In some cases, arrhythmias can develop, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Heart valve disorders may be due to:
 Acquired disease. Rheumatic fever - a childhood illness caused by a streptococcal infection - is a major cause of valve disease. Coronary artery disease, infections of the heart and calcium formation on the valves also can be causes. Sometimes, the valves wear out with age.
Congenital heart disease. People may be born with defects of the heart valves. [More] |
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There are two ways that the valves of the heart can cause problems: Regurgitation is when a valve or valves do not close completely, causing the blood to flow backward instead of forward. A common cause is called mitral valve prolapse. The mitral valve is located between the upper and lower chambers of the left side of the heart. Ordinarily, the mitral valve allows blood to flow only from the upper to the lower chamber. |
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| When there is a prolapse, one of the two leaflets of the valve fails to close entirely, allowing some backflow of blood into the upper chamber. With a stethoscope, the abnormal valve can be detected by a murmur or slight clicking sound, which is why this condition is sometimes called "click-murmur syndrome". Mitral valve prolapse appears to be hereditary and is more common in women than men. |
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| Stenosis is when the valve opening becomes stiff and narrowed and does not open properly. The increased force required to pump blood through the narrowed (stenotic) valve causes the heart to enlarge.
Valve problems may cause no symptoms in the early stages. The condition usually is discovered during a routine examination. Symptoms of advanced valve disease may include shortness of breath, water retention (edema), chest pain, a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) and/or fainting spells. |
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Congenital Heart Disease
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| Patients born with heart problems have congenital heart disease. About eight out of every thousand babies are born with a disorder of the heart. They may have a variety of abnormalities of the heart valves or chambers. Some people with these disorders develop arrhythmias. The causes of congenital heart defects often are not known, but chromosome defects, genes and infections such as rubella (measles) during pregnancy may play a role. |
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Infection
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| Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds your heart. Pericarditis may be caused by a virus or bacterial infection, such as tuberculosis, or by an injury. It often occurs after a respiratory infection, and is most common in men between the ages of 20 and 50. Pericarditis causes chest pains radiating to the left side of the neck, shoulder, back or abdomen. Breathlessness and swelling of the abdomen are common symptoms as well.
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. It is somewhat rare, but can be life-threatening.
These disorders may lead to other heart problems such as heart failure, heart block, atrial fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. |
