MRI scan: This may provide a more detailed picture of your heart.Chest X-ray: This may be ordered to take a picture of your heart.Cardiac catheterization: This test uses a thin tube or catheter with a camera to take pictures of your heart and blood vessels.Both tests use sound waves to create a picture of the heart valves and chambers. Echocardiogram and transesophageal echocardiogram: The former is done via a probe that’s placed on the chest, whereas the latter involves putting the probe into the esophagus.Electrocardiogram: This is a test that shows the electrical activity of the heart and is used to check for abnormal heart rhythms.Other tests that may be used to diagnose heart valve disorders include the following: These are both signs of heart valve problems. Your doctor may also listen to your lungs to determine if there’s fluid buildup and check your body for signs of water retention. They’ll listen for any heart rate abnormalities that might indicate a problem with your heart valves. If you’re experiencing symptoms of a heart valve disorder, your doctor will begin by listening to your heart with a stethoscope. Others may need to have medication to prevent fluid buildup, while others require valve repair or replacement. Some people simply need to have their condition monitored. The effects of valvular regurgitation vary depending on the person. This occurs in about 0.9% of Americans of both sexes each year. It occurs when any of the heart valves don’t close properly, causing blood to flow backward. Valvular regurgitation may also be called a “leaky valve.” It can also be referred to as mitral or tricuspid regurgitation. Depending on the severity of your stenosis and your age, valvuloplasty, which uses a balloon to dilate the valve, may be an option. Other people may need surgery to replace or repair the valve. Some people don’t need treatment for valvular stenosis. ![]() This can occur in any of the heart valves and may be caused by the heart valve thickening or stiffening.Ībout 0.3% to 0.5% of people are diagnosed with valvular stenosis, with the prevalence rising to 2%-7% among those over 65. Valvular stenosis occurs when a valve isn’t able to open completely, which means that not enough blood can flow through the valve. Most people are able to have their aortic valve repaired successfully with surgery. The valve is usually able to function for years without causing symptoms, so most people with bicuspid aortic valve disease aren’t diagnosed until adulthood. It affects about 0.5% to 1.4% of the population. However, some people may go decades without knowing they have this type of disorder. In very severe cases, the symptoms of this type of disorder are present at birth. Bicuspid aortic valve diseaseīicuspid aortic valve disease occurs when a person is born with an aortic valve that has two flaps instead of the usual three. Mitral valve prolapse occurs in about 2%-4% of people in high-income countries. ![]() Treatment involves surgery to repair or replace the mitral valve. It occurs when the mitral valve doesn’t close properly, sometimes causing blood to flow back into the left atrium. The following are the different types of heart valve disorders that may develop: Mitral valve prolapse Learn more about the anatomy of the heart. If you have a heart valve disorder, the valve isn’t able to do this job properly. The heart valves work by ensuring that blood flows in a forward direction and doesn’t back up or cause leakage. The aorta, which is the body’s largest artery, carries oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Blood then flows to the pulmonary artery and aorta. Once the ventricles have filled with blood, they begin to contract, forcing the pulmonary and aortic valves to open. ![]() These valves then close to prevent blood from flowing back into the atria. The aortic valve: This valve is located between the left ventricle and the aorta.īlood flows from the right and left atria through the tricuspid and mitral valves, which open to allow blood to flow into the right and left ventricles.The mitral valve: This valve is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle.The pulmonary valve: This valve is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery.The tricuspid valve: This valve is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle.Your heart valves open and close with each heartbeat, allowing blood to flow through the atria (upper chambers) and ventricles (lower chambers).
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