| There are two types of heart valve | | | | Another form of heart valve disease which can |
| disease--heart disease resulting from narrowed | | | | result from infection is endiocarditis. Endiocarditis |
| heart valves, and heart disease resulting from | | | | develops when bacteria enters the bloodstream |
| leaky heart valves. Each of them stems from | | | | during surgery or dental procedures, causing |
| several different causes, ranging from birth | | | | inflammation of the heart and scarring both its |
| defects, to bacterial infection, to aging. Congential | | | | valves and leaflets. In the case of endiocarditis, |
| Heart Valve Disease Congenital heart valve is the | | | | the scarred leaflets will allow blood entering the |
| most common, and can result in inflexible or | | | | heart to back up, or "regurgitate," diminishing the |
| narrowed, or floppy, valves, or irregular valve | | | | blood volume within the heart and the amount of |
| flaps. Congenital heart valve disease is often | | | | blood and oxygen which reaches the body's other |
| diagnosed within a few days of a baby's birth, but | | | | organs. For more info see on Congestive Heart |
| if the defect is minor, may not be discovered until | | | | Disease The elderly are susceptible to heart valve |
| much later. Heart valve disease can be very hard | | | | disease resulting from calcification, or calcium |
| to diagnose because some forms of it do not | | | | deposit buildup, along the valves. Testing For |
| produce symptoms. Some people, however, | | | | Heart Valve Disease Echocardiograms and MRIs |
| acquire heart valve disease because of | | | | are the tests best suited to diagnose heart valve |
| complications from another disease such as heart | | | | disease. Either one will give the cardiologist a good |
| muscle disease, coronary artery disease and heart | | | | look at abnormalities both in the main chambers |
| attack. A child who has suffered from a | | | | of the heart and all its smaller structures including |
| rheumatic heart disease because of a simple | | | | the valves. Symptoms of heart valve disease can |
| strep throat will likely to have a valvular disease | | | | include vertigo resulting from a quick shift of |
| when he or she reaches adulthood. Heart valve | | | | positions, such as standing up or sitting, heart |
| disease, however, can also develop as a | | | | palpitations or racing, shortness of breath after |
| complication from some other illness; children who | | | | minimal activity, and sever afternoon fatigue. |
| have had rheumatic fever following an untreated | | | | Those experiencing any of these symptoms on a |
| case of strep throat have a greater than fifty | | | | regular basis should arrange to see a cardiologist |
| percent chance of developing scarring on their | | | | and be tested for a heart murmurs, a strong |
| heart valves. A heart with scarred valves has to | | | | indication of heart valve disease. |
| work harder than one with smooth ones, and as | | | | You can also find more info on Heart Disease and |
| the years mount, the extra strain on the heart | | | | Congenital Heart Disease. is a comprehensive |
| can lead to rheumatic heart disease. Endiocarditis | | | | resource to know about Heart Diseases. |