If you’ve ever become short of breath while climbing the stairs or taking a walk, it can be tempting to brush it off as a natural sign of getting older or simply being out of shape. But breathlessness and fatigue can also be signs of valvular heart disease, which is more common than you might realise. As you get older, you become more at risk of developing a heart valve problem as part of the natural ageing process or as a result of other heart conditions.
Your heart has four heart valves that control the flow of blood in one direction. If you have valvular heart disease, it means one or more of these valves are not working as they should. This can cause problems with your blood flow, putting extra strain on your heart to work harder.
The four valves of the heart are:
- The mitral valve (also called the bicuspid valve)
- The tricuspid valve
- The aortic valve
- The pulmonary valve
There are many different types of valvular heart disease, but the most common types are caused by the heart valves not opening or closing properly.
When a valve can’t open properly, it blocks or restricts the flow of blood. This is called valve stenosis or valve narrowing. Aortic stenosis is one of the most common forms of valvular heart disease. It occurs when your heart’s aortic valve narrows, reducing the blood flow from your heart and into your aorta, which is the main artery to the rest of the body. Older adults are more at risk of developing aortic stenosis due to the buildup of calcium on their aortic valve over time.
If one of your valves doesn’t close properly, the blood leaks back into the heart. This is called a ‘leaky valve’ or valve regurgitation. Mitral regurgitation is another common type of heart valve disease that happens when some blood leaks backward through the mitral valve. If the regurgitation is severe, you might develop a build up of fluid build-up in the lungs.
Problems with your heart’s valves are often discovered after the discovery of a murmur. But if left untreated, severe valve disease can cause heart failure, stroke, blood clots or sudden cardiac arrest.
Whether you are concerned about breathlessness or your primary doctor might have detected a heart murmur, London Medical offers the latest investigative procedures in our state-of-the-art imaging suite to identify valvular heart disease.
Our approach to heart health
We believe that cutting-edge cardiology care means working hand-in-hand with other related specialties to prevent, treat and manage heart disease. Your risk for heart attack and stroke can often be reduced by diagnosing and treating underlying and related conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. At London Medical, we have the top experts working together for your care – all under one roof.
You might not experience any symptoms or just subtle symptoms. Alternatively, you might experience multiple symptoms including any of the following:
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Fainting (syncope)
- Heart palpitations
- Oedema (swelling of the feet, ankles or abdomen)
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
There are several causes of valvular heart disease.
- Congenital heart disease – being born with a faulty valve or valves
- Cardiomyopathy – disease of the heart muscle
- Damage from a previous heart attack
- Endocarditis – valve infections
- Age-induced degenerative changes
A variety of tests are used to diagnose valvular heart disease. After listening to your heart and taking your history, your consultant might recommend a range of follow-up tests, including
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) – This simple, non-invasive test records your heart’s rate, rhythm and electrical activity. It’s also called a resting ECG.
- Holter monitor – Also called an ambulatory ECG, you wear this device to measure your heart’s electrical activity and rhythm for 24-48 hours.
- Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) – This is a commonly performed, non-invasive test that provides images of the heart using sound waves.
- Transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) – This mildly invasive procedure scans the heart from your oesophagus. It can provide clearer images because the probe gets nearer to certain structures in the heart.
- Cardiac MRI – This non-invasive test uses an MRI machine to create magnetic and radio waves to show detailed pictures of the inside of your heart.
- CT angiography – A computed tomography (CT) scan is a non-invasive imaging test that looks at the coronary arteries for calcium buildup and plaque.
Depending on the severity of your condition, we will recommend a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. If you don’t have symptoms and your heart disease is mild, you might not need any treatment other than careful follow-up and monitoring. If your condition is moderate to severe, you might be recommended medication or surgery.
Medications
You might be prescribed one or more medications to treat symptoms and reduce your risk of further problems. This could include medications to lower your blood pressure, blood thinners to prevent blood clots from forming, beta-blockers to slow your heart rate or diuretics to reduce the amount of fluid in your blood or lungs.
Surgical interventions
For some valvular heart disease patients, minimally invasive surgical interventions such as TAVI or MitraClip procedures are good alternatives to heart valve replacement surgery.
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a treatment for aortic stenosis. In the procedure, the specialist physician makes a small incision in the chest or groin to implant a replacement valve in the site of the diseased valve using a thin tube called a catheter.
A MitraClip procedure is used to treat mitral regurgitation. Your specialist physician accesses your mitral valve via a vein in the groin using a catheter and then attaches a small clip to your valve to help it close properly.
Both procedures mean less risk for the patient, quicker recovery times and less scarring.
Surgical valve repair or replacement
Depending on the valve affected and the severity of the problem, your consultant might recommend surgery for valve repair or valve replacement. If your valve cannot be repaired, you might need a replacement tissue valve or a mechanical one.
Lifestyle changes and following up
It’s important to carefully monitor your heart valve condition to ensure your symptoms do not worsen. We’ll create a custom treatment plan that helps you stay healthy including recommendations on diet, exercise, medication and lifestyle changes. With regular checkups and a healthy lifestyle, most people with valvular heart disease can lead a normal life.
Meet our experts in valvular heart disease
Dr George Amin-Youssef
Consultant cardiologist who deals with adults and specialises in heart failure, including advanced heart failure, working in one of the largest heart failure units in the UK.
Professor Carlo Di Mario
Specialist in Interventional cardiology – the use of catheters and other devices to restore blood flow to the heart without major surgery.
Dr Claire Chalmers-Watson
Dr Chalmers-Watson is an experienced General Practitioner with over two decades of experience in primary care and a profound expertise in managing a broad spectrum of health conditions.
Professor Piers Daubeney
Professor Piers Daubeney is a consultant paediatrician at London Medical, specialising in paediatric cardiology.
Dr Shouvik Haldar
Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals with a specialist interest in the management of patients with abnormal heart rhythms.
Dr Riyaz Kaba
Consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist, specialising in arrhythmias, ablations, and pacemakers.
Professor Thomas F. Lüscher
Consultant in cardiology, interested in interventional cardiology, rhythmology, echocardiography, heart failure, acute cardiac care, and sports cardiology.
Dr Khaled Mallek
An esteemed consultant interventional and general cardiologist, specialising in complex coronary interventions and chronic total occlusions.
Dr Nikolaos Papageorgiou
Dr Nikolaos Papageorgiou is a consultant cardiologist at London Medical, specialising in heart failure and electrophysiology.
Professor Kausik Ray
Consultant preventative cardiologist, specialising in diabetes, lipids, glucose, hypertension and cardiometabolic traits.
Are you worried because someone in your family has suffered a premature heart attack? Are you aware of your cholesterol numbers? Whether you are concerned about managing your risk of heart attack or stroke or you just want to ensure you can enjoy your years of retirement, our comprehensive heart assessment plan can help you identify and manage your risk of developing heart disease. London Medical’s world-class cardiac consultants will assess your personal risk for future cardiac disease using the latest tests and techniques in our state-of-the-art imaging suite. The results are used to identify risk factors, evaluate your current heart health and advise you on a treatment plan should you need one.
Learn more about how to keep your heart healthy
See insights and guides from our experts on how to prevent, treat and manage cardiovascular disease.
Bupa unveils new world-class all-in-one centre in the heart of Canary Wharf
The benefits of continuous glucose monitoring
Speak to a member of our team
Get in touch
If you have any questions or want to book an appointment, please speak to our team on +44 (0)800 0483 330.
Or, make an enquiry online using this form and one of our team will be in touch. Please note, all the information collected is required as part of our registration process. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by our team. You don't need a referral from your GP to make an appointment with us.
Contact us
Our team can also be contacted on +44 (0)800 0483 330.
Please note, all the information collected is required as part of our registration process. By using this form, you agree with the storage and handling of your data by our team.
Heart Health News
Find out the latest news, thinking and insights from our experts. Our Heart Health News is your go-to source of trusted advice and knowledge on all matters of the heart.
Chest pain and how it may be avoided
6 ways to prevent heart disease
