Valvular Heart Disease Specialists in Maharashtra

What is Valvular Heart Disease?

Valvular heart disease occurs when one or more of the heart's four valves fail to open or close properly, disrupting the normal one-way flow of blood through the heart. Valves can become narrowed, a condition called stenosis, restricting blood flow, or they can become leaky, called regurgitation, allowing blood to flow backward. In India, rheumatic heart disease resulting from untreated streptococcal throat infections remains an important cause, alongside age-related degenerative valve changes seen increasingly as the population ages. Depending on which valve is affected and the severity of dysfunction, the heart may have to work harder over time, eventually leading to heart failure if left untreated. Diagnosis is made primarily through echocardiography, and treatment ranges from monitoring to valve repair or replacement surgery.

Causes of Valvular Heart Disease

Caused by rheumatic fever following untreated streptococcal throat infections, congenital valve abnormalities present from birth, age-related degeneration and calcification of valve tissue, or infective endocarditis where bacteria infect and damage the valve. Other contributing factors include prior heart attacks that damage the structures supporting the valves and connective tissue disorders that weaken valve tissue. Risk increases with age due to progressive wear and calcium buildup on valve leaflets.

Symptoms of Valvular Heart Disease

Shortness of breath especially with exertion, fatigue, chest pain or tightness, heart murmur detected on examination, palpitations, swelling in the legs and ankles, dizziness or fainting, reduced exercise tolerance

Treatment & Types of Valvular Heart Disease in Maharashtra

Mild valvular disease is often managed with regular monitoring and medications to control symptoms such as diuretics and blood pressure medications. Moderate to severe disease causing significant symptoms or heart strain typically requires valve repair or replacement surgery, or in select cases a minimally invasive catheter-based valve procedure. Antibiotic prophylaxis before certain dental or surgical procedures may be recommended for patients at risk of infective endocarditis.

Valvular heart disease is classified by which of the four heart valves is affected, most often the mitral or aortic valve, and by the type of dysfunction: stenosis, where the valve becomes narrowed and restricts blood flow, or regurgitation, where the valve becomes leaky and allows blood to flow backward. It is also classified by cause, including rheumatic valve disease from untreated streptococcal throat infections, which remains an important cause in India, congenital valve abnormalities present from birth, age-related degenerative calcification, and infective endocarditis, where bacteria infect and damage the valve.

Cardiology Specialists in Maharashtra (1)

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