The heart is like your body’s engine, and when it is affected, it affects the rest of your body. When you have heart valve disease, it affects blood circulation to various parts of your body, affecting how your body functions. That is why your Deerfield Beach, FL board certified cardiologist is committed to ensuring your heart functions properly, and blood circulation is back to normal.
Heart valve dysfunction occurs when your valve fails to work correctly, causing your heart to strain while circulating blood throughout your body. This condition is either acquired or born with it.
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Causes of heart valve dysfunction
There are several causes of acquired valve disease. It may be caused by rheumatic fever or endocarditis infection, stretched papillary muscles, and fibro-calcific degeneration. If you develop abnormal leaflet attachment, abnormal valve size, and half-developed leaflets before birth, you have a condition known as congenital valve disease.
There are two types of heart valve diseases which are regurgitant and stenotic. Regurgitant valve a condition where the valve does not develop fully, leaving a gap that causes the blood to flow backward. A stenotic valve causes the valve to become narrow, affecting blood circulation and straining the heart.
What to expect during your initial visit
At Soffer Health Institute, your doctor will diagnose your heart valve disease by listening to your cardiac murmur using a stethoscope. He may also request you some tests like a chest X-ray to determine if your heart is enlarged. Cardiac MRI checks how far your heart state is and evaluates how your ventricles are performing.
Another test is echocardiography, which checks out how your heart valves perform, your heart’s appearance, and how your blood flows. Your doctor may also test how well your heart can handle vigorous exercises. To determine your chambers’ heart size and any irregular heartbeat, you will be requested to go for an electrocardiogram test.
Your doctor will let you know the various treatment options available, which include:
Medication
Medication will be administered to you by your doctor to treat your symptoms, prevent blood clots, and slow down the issue.
Change of lifestyle
You will be encouraged to change your way of life to improve your heart health by eating healthy food, which will regularly boost your heart function and exercise. If you are used to smoking, your doctor will advise you to stop and also to reduce any form of stress.
Heart surgery
Your specialized doctor may recommend you undergo invasive procedures to restore your valve. These include:
Coronary artery bypass grafting
The procedure is done to improve the blood flow into your heart, mostly when your arteries are blocked.
Coronary angioplasty and stents
If your blood vessels are narrow, your doctor will perform this procedure to help blood circulation and insert the valve’s stents to keep the artery open.
Heart valve repair
Your doctor will perform this procedure to reconnect valve leaflets, repair holes in your valve, help the leaflets close tightly by removing the excess valve, repair the structure by replacing cords that assist the valve, and isolating fused valve flaps.
For more details on heart valve dysfunction, call or book an appointment online with Soffer Health Institute.
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