Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Valvular Heart Diseases
Number of Conditions: 8
Aortic Stenosis
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
chest pain (angina); shortness of breath; fatigue; fainting (syncope); heart murmur
Root Cause:
Narrowing of the aortic valve opening, leading to restricted blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through echocardiography to assess valve narrowing and blood flow, often supported by auscultation of a systolic murmur.
Treatment:
Treatment involves valve replacement or repair, typically through surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
Medications:
Medications may include beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers to reduce the heart’s workload, diuretics to manage fluid overload, and ACE inhibitors or ARBs for concurrent hypertension. These are supportive treatments rather than curative.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects 2-4% of individuals over 65 years old in developed countries.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Aging; bicuspid aortic valve; rheumatic fever; calcium buildup on the valve; congenital valve abnormalities
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with timely valve replacement; untreated severe cases lead to heart failure or death within a few years after symptom onset.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure; arrhythmias; sudden cardiac death; endocarditis; blood clots
Aortic Regurgitation
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; shortness of breath (especially during exertion or lying flat); palpitations; swollen ankles or feet; chest pain
Root Cause:
The aortic valve doesn’t close tightly, allowing blood to flow backward into the left ventricle, leading to volume overload.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Identified using echocardiography to evaluate valve insufficiency and regurgitant flow, often confirmed with cardiac MRI or CT in complex cases.
Treatment:
Management includes medications for heart failure symptoms and surgical valve repair or replacement in severe cases.
Medications:
Vasodilators (e.g., ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or hydralazine ) can reduce afterload, and diuretics can relieve fluid overload. Beta-blockers may also be used if concurrent hypertension or arrhythmias exist.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Occurs in approximately 2-5% of adults, often increasing with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Hypertension; Marfan syndrome; infective endocarditis; rheumatic fever; congenital valve malformation
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on severity; mild cases may remain stable, while severe cases require valve replacement to prevent heart failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure; arrhythmias; endocarditis; aortic aneurysm or dissection
Mitral Stenosis
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
shortness of breath; fatigue; palpitations; swollen feet or ankles; hemoptysis (coughing up blood); heart murmur
Root Cause:
Narrowing of the mitral valve, leading to restricted blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed via echocardiography to measure mitral valve area and detect restricted flow, often accompanied by auscultation of a diastolic murmur.
Treatment:
Treatment includes percutaneous balloon valvotomy, surgical repair, or valve replacement, often supported by diuretics for symptom control.
Medications:
Anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants) to prevent thromboembolism, beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers to manage atrial fibrillation, and diuretics to reduce pulmonary congestion.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in developed countries; more common in developing regions due to rheumatic fever.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
History of rheumatic fever; female sex; atrial fibrillation; endocarditis
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with treatment; untreated cases often progress to severe pulmonary hypertension and heart failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Atrial fibrillation; pulmonary hypertension; stroke; heart failure
Mitral Regurgitation
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
shortness of breath; fatigue; palpitations; swelling in feet or ankles; heart murmur
Root Cause:
Mitral valve allows blood to flow backward into the left atrium, causing volume overload in the heart.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Evaluated with echocardiography to visualize regurgitant flow and assess valve structure and function.
Treatment:
Options include medical management for symptoms and surgical repair or replacement in severe or symptomatic cases.
Medications:
Vasodilators (e.g., ACE inhibitors or ARBs), diuretics for fluid management, and anticoagulants if atrial fibrillation is present.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects up to 2% of the population; prevalence increases with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Connective tissue disorders; rheumatic fever; infective endocarditis; previous heart attack
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with timely intervention; untreated severe regurgitation can lead to heart failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure; atrial fibrillation; pulmonary hypertension
Tricuspid Stenosis
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; swelling in the abdomen or legs; cold extremities; distended neck veins; fluttering sensation in the neck; heart murmur
Root Cause:
Narrowing of the tricuspid valve restricts blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle, leading to systemic venous congestion.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed using echocardiography to assess valve narrowing and confirm elevated pressure gradients across the valve.
Treatment:
Treated with valve replacement or repair, often combined with managing associated conditions like atrial fibrillation or heart failure.
Medications:
Diuretics, such as furosemide , are commonly used to manage systemic fluid overload and relieve symptoms.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, often associated with rheumatic heart disease or congenital defects.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Rheumatic fever; carcinoid syndrome; congenital abnormalities; prosthetic valve dysfunction
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on underlying cause; good prognosis with surgical correction but poor if left untreated.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure; atrial fibrillation; systemic congestion leading to liver and kidney dysfunction
Tricuspid Regurgitation
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; swelling in the abdomen, legs, or ankles; distended neck veins; shortness of breath with exertion; heart murmur
Root Cause:
The tricuspid valve allows blood to flow backward into the right atrium, causing systemic venous congestion and right-sided heart strain.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Identified through echocardiography to detect regurgitant flow and evaluate the severity of valve dysfunction.
Treatment:
Focuses on treating underlying causes and symptoms, with surgical or transcatheter valve repair or replacement for severe cases.
Medications:
Diuretics (e.g., furosemide or spironolactone ) are used to manage fluid retention. In some cases, vasodilators may be used for pulmonary hypertension.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Commonly found in mild form; severe cases are less common and typically secondary to other heart conditions.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Pulmonary hypertension; rheumatic fever; infective endocarditis; prior heart surgery
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; mild cases may not require intervention, but severe cases can lead to right-sided heart failure if untreated.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Right-sided heart failure; arrhythmias; systemic congestion
Pulmonic Stenosis
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; shortness of breath; chest pain; heart murmur; fainting (syncope); cyanosis in severe cases
Root Cause:
Narrowing of the pulmonic valve restricts blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries, increasing the workload on the right heart.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with echocardiography and Doppler imaging to measure valve narrowing and pressure gradients.
Treatment:
Managed with balloon valvuloplasty or surgical intervention in severe or symptomatic cases.
Medications:
Medications are typically not needed, but diuretics may be used to manage fluid retention in severe cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
A rare congenital heart defect, occurring in about 0.6-0.8 per 1,000 live births.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Congenital heart defects; Noonan syndrome; Carcinoid syndrome
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with treatment; untreated severe cases can lead to right-sided heart failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Right-sided heart failure; arrhythmias; cyanosis; infective endocarditis
Pulmonic Regurgitation
Specialty: Cardiovascular
Category: Heart Diseases
Sub-category: Valvular Heart Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; shortness of breath; swelling in the legs or abdomen; palpitations; heart murmur
Root Cause:
The pulmonic valve doesn’t close properly, allowing blood to flow back into the right ventricle, causing volume overload and strain on the right side of the heart.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Evaluated using echocardiography to detect regurgitant flow and assess right heart function.
Treatment:
Typically monitored, with surgical or transcatheter valve replacement reserved for severe cases causing right heart dysfunction.
Medications:
Diuretics (e.g., furosemide ) for fluid management; vasodilators (e.g., prostacyclin analogs or endothelin receptor antagonists) may be used to address underlying pulmonary hypertension.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare as an isolated condition; more commonly secondary to pulmonary hypertension or previous cardiac surgery.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Pulmonary hypertension; tetralogy of Fallot repair; endocarditis; rheumatic fever
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with treatment; untreated cases can lead to right-sided heart failure over time.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Right-sided heart failure; arrhythmias; infective endocarditis