Englewood Health has a team of experts who treat heart valve disease, also called structural heart disease. They bring the most recent technological advances to our patients to provide the best results in a compassionate, comfortable environment.
Treatment for Heart Valve Disease
- Diagnostic and imaging tests
- Medication management
- Balloon valvuloplasty
- TAVR
- Mitral clips
- Heart valve surgery
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Heart-healthy lifestyle recommendations
What is a Heart Valve?
The heart consists of 4 chambers, 2 atria (upper chambers) and 2 ventricles (lower chambers). Valves are actually flaps (leaflets) that act as one-way doors that keep blood from flowing backward in the heart. Your heart has four valves called the aortic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid valves.
Types of Heart Valve Disease
When heart valves fail to open and close properly, the damage to the heart can be serious. This can hurt the heart’s ability to pump blood through the body. Common problems include:
- Stenosis. With stenosis the opening of the valve is narrowed and the valve doesn’t open properly. This makes it harder for the heart to pump blood across the narrowed opening.
- Regurgitation. If the valve doesn’t close properly, blood can leak backward instead of moving in the proper direction.
- Prolapse. Valve prolapse happens when the flaps or leaflets of a valve don’t close smoothly and properly. Instead they bulge upward, and blood can flow backward instead of moving in a forward direction.