What is Valvular Heart disease?
The heart is a living mechanical pump, which ensures the flow of blood through the circulatory system by contraction of the heart, which compresses the blood and forces it through the arteries.
The direction of blood flow is controlled by a set of four valves which open and close with the phases of the heartbeat. This causes the blood to flow into the main arteries in one direction and prevents regurgitation of blood in the reverse direction.
Two discrete (separate) circulations are driven by the heart – the pulmonary circulation to the lungs driven by the right side of the heart and the systemic circulation to the rest of the body (systemic circulation) driven by the left side.
When the heart valves become diseased they become less effective in controlling the flow. They may fail to close fully and leak (incompetence of the valve) or the outlet of the valve may become narrowed (stenosis of the valve) reducing the flow and increasing pressure on the heart wall.
Incompetence of a valve results in back pressure into the system either in the lungs or back into the peripheral tissues. Stenosis of a valve impedes arterial flow either via the pulmonary artery into the lungs or into the systemic circulation via the aorta.
Disease of the valves can therefore result in a significant reduction of effective blood circulation causing congestion of the lungs, congestion and swelling of the peripheral tissues and poor oxygenation of the vital organs.
If evidence suggests that the customer has heart failure, which may have resulted from valvular heart disease then go to Heart Failure guidance.
If evidence suggests that the customer has had a stroke, which may have resulted from valvular heart disease then go to Stroke guidance.
The four valves of the heart are:
- The Tricuspid valve between the right atrium and right ventricle.
- The Pulmonary valve between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, which leads to the lungs.
- The Mitral valve between the left atrium and left ventricle.
- The Aortic valve between the left ventricle and the aorta.
If a valve is abnormal, it causes turbulence of the blood flow and this is heard as a heart murmur, which can be heard through a stethoscope.
