If there is noticed unfortunate leaking heart valve, it does not mean always to go for valve surgery. If heart valve surgery becomes necessary, then again, it does not mean always that an open heart surgery will be required.
Leaking heart valves
As a matter of fact, majority of the patients suffering from leaking valve disorder have been termed to be completely unaware of having valvular disease. The mild leaking valve condition is said to be undetected since it never tends to progress to such a point of requiring medical treatment.
The symptoms might even indicate the leaking heart valve known as valve regurgitation could be worsening to such a point of requiring some kind of treatment. It could be shortness of breath and unexplained fatigue, especially when the person exerts himself, awareness of the heart beat, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat or fluttery, chest pain known as angina, fainting or dizziness and swollen feet or ankles. With price of heart valve replacement having reduced, patients can take more respite to enjoy getting the treatment.
Issues with the heart valve
The function of the heart is to move the blood through the heart in a single direction. If there is found valve leakage, then the valve leaflets are bound to fail in closing properly. Some blood is also regurgitated backwards in wrong direction.
In case of severe regurgitation or heart valve leakage, the heart needs to work harder for re-pumping blood through the heart and within the body. The heart is enlarged due to this ‘overwork’. If the person finds himself to get tired with his regular day to day activities, then he is probably experiencing one or even more such symptoms that are already mentioned. Then it is high time to consult the cardiologist. For instance, the person may find walking up the drive can be exhausting. Again, bending over for taking clothes from dryer could possibly cause pain in the chest. He might experience breathlessness due to the heat when outdoors. They all could be possible signs of disease in the heart valve.
Using a stethoscope, the general physician could listen to the patient’s heart. By listening to the heart, it is possible to know if it is a heart murmur. It is depending upon the murmur intensity that the general physician might refer the person to a qualified cardiologist for further investigation and treatment.
Tests conducted
The experienced cardiologist might perform any of the following tests on the patient.
- ECG (electrocardiogram), a test to measure the heart’s electrical activity to check its proper functioning.
- Echocardiogram, an ultrasound to produce image of the heart’s inside, a heart cath, chest x-ray, small tube (catheter) gets threaded up to the heart through the artery, in the patient’s groin. The dye showing up on the x-rays gets injected into the blood stream, while the x-rays taken produce image of blood flowing through the heart. Cardiac CT scan uses X-rays for creating 3D image of the heart.
Price of heart valve replacement on India is less thus, making it possible for potential patients to get proper and timely treatments.