Heart Valve Disease - What Causes It?

Complications in the heart valve occur when the functioning of the heart valve is impaired. Valves of the heart allow the blood in one direction and prevent the blood from flowing back into the ventricles of the heart.

Heart valve diseases can be classified as follows:

1. Valvular stenosis:
This condition occurs when the valves of the heart do not open completely due to stiffness. As the opening is narrow, the heart has to work hard to pump blood. This condition may lead to heart failure.

2. Valvular insufficiency:
This is a condition where the valve does not close tightly. This causes some of the blood to flow back to the valve. As this condition deteriorates the heart has to work harder to pump blood. 

Types and Causes of valve diseases:

1. Acquired valve disease 
The structure of the valve changes due to various infections or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is caused by bacterial infection that had not been treated. It tends to occur in children and cause inflammation of the valves of the heart.

2. Congenital valve disease
This condition usually affects the pulmonary valve where the size of the valve is abnormal.

3. Bicuspid aortic valve disease
It is a type of valve disease that impairs the aortic valve. Instead of the regular three cusps, the bicuspid valve only has two. This may cause the valve to be stiff or cause it to leak.

4. Mitral valve prolapse
This condition causes the valve to flop back when the heart contracts. This condition also causes the leaflets of the valve to turn irregularly and cause it to stretch. This condition causes the valve to leak.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of valve disease are as follows:

1. Weakness: This condition may cause weakness and cause severe discomfort while performing daily activities.
2. Palpitations: Symptoms such as irregular heartbeats, skipped beats and rapid heart rhythm occurs in this condition.
3. Rapid weight gain: This condition can cause you to gain weight very rapidly.
4. It may cause swelling in your ankles, abdomen and feet.
5. This condition causes shortness of breath