The human heart resembles a finely tuned machine, with four valves opening and closing in precise order to keep the blood flowing – unless one them doesn’t work.
“The aortic valve is the main valve in allowing the blood to be pumped out of the heart,” says McLeod Cardiothoracic Surgeon Scot C. Schultz, MD. “Typically, we discover aortic valve disease when we hear a heart murmur through a stethoscope during a routine office visit. This murmur signals a turbulent flow in the heart, a primary sign of aortic valve problems.”
TYPES OF AORTIC VALVE DISEASE
Aortic valve problems appear in two different ways:
SIGNS
Some patients may not experience any symptoms in the early stages of the disease. In time, they may notice the following:
WHO IS AT RISK
Heart valves wear out over time, making advanced age one of the most important risk factors. As you age, the risk for developing calcium on the valves increases. This buildup of calcium can cause the leaflets of the valve to stiffen and narrow, limiting their motion and ability to properly open and close.
However, don’t think that you have heart disease, simply because you are tired – particularly if you are age 65 or older. As we age, we can all (unfortunately) fatigue more easily.
Other risk factors include:
TESTING FOR VALVE DISEASE
If your primary care physician detects a problem, they will likely send you to a heart specialist for one or more tests:
TREATMENT
Your specialist may start by suggesting some lifestyle changes:
ACTION YOU CAN TAKE
If you think that heart valve disease is causing you problems, see your primary care physician, a cardiologist or call the McLeod Valve Clinic at 843-777-8258.