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Heart valve disease
Reviewed by Dr Neal Uren, consultant cardiologist and Dr Patrick Davey, cardiologist
Cardiac catheterisation
The pressure in the atria, the ventricles and the great vessels - the aorta and pulmonary artery - is measured using catheters. Through injecting a dye which is visible on an X-ray, the doctor can also assess the degree of the leakage.
What can the doctor do?
The doctor can try to find the cause of the valve malformation, or refer the patient to the hospital for further investigation and possible treatment.
Which medications are used?
Preventive treatment with antibiotics (such as amoxicillin is suggested if the patient needs to have any kind of treatment likely to introduce bacteria into the blood.
For treatment of symptoms
Warfarin may be used to 'thin' the blood if there is an increased risk of blood clot development.
Nitrate-preparations and vasodilators to relax and dilate the arteries. These are used if the patient cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors or ARAs.
Further development and treatment possibilities
Following an operation of this type, it is necessary to take anti-clotting medication such as warfarin - sometimes permanently, depending on the type of surgery performed and the type of valve replacement.
If the patient is unsuitable for surgery, because of another coexisting illness or end-stage heart failure, medication can diminish heart failure symptoms.
Diuretics help the body to excrete excessive salts and fluid through the kidneys:
Medicines to improve a poor heart function such as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor agonists (ARAs), help the heart work more effectively in the presence of a leaky valve.
A serious untreated malformation can lead to heart failure. Significant valve defects can be treated surgically either by replacement with an artificial valve or by repairing the affected valve (usually specific to the mitral valve).
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