CONDITIONS WE SPECIALISE IN
THE TWO COMMON, LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS WITH HEART VALVES IN ADULTS ARE A NARROWING OF THE AORTIC VALVE, CALLED AORTIC STENOSIS, AND MITRAL REGURGITATION.
AORTIC STENOSIS
Typically occurs in people older than 65 years of age and involves progressive calcification of the leaflets of the aortic heart valve, restricting their opening when the heart contracts. This in turn causes decreased blood flow to the coronary arteries and to the body as a whole. As aortic stenosis becomes severe, patients may experience shortness of breath (as the heart cannot pump enough blood out to meet oxygen demand), chest discomfort or angina (caused by insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle) and may briefly lose consciousness.
MITRAL REGURGITATION
Is when the two leaflets of the mitral valve don’t close correctly and blood leaks backward with each heartbeat. This causes the heart to pump more blood with each beat to push the same amount forward. If left untreated for a period of time, patients may begin to show shortness of breath and fatigue and the the heart may begin to fail.