| This article is written to remove some | | | | valve disease is endocarditis. This |
| of the mystery regarding valvular heart | | | | disease happens when bacteria and germs |
| disease. It is necessarily somewhat | | | | make their way into the bloodstream and |
| complex but it should be easier to | | | | then begin to invade the valves of the |
| understand than most medical information | | | | heart. This attack causes growths to |
| that you might receive. | | | | begin in the heart valves as well as |
| Valvular heart disease or valve disease | | | | holes to take place. This can then lead |
| can even be present at birth | | | | to scarring of the heart valves. Leaky |
| (congenital) or it can develop at any | | | | valves end up being the result of all of |
| period of time throughout a persons life | | | | this. Germs that cause endocarditis can |
| span. There are times when the exact | | | | come about as a result of surgery, IV |
| valvular heart disease caauses cannot be | | | | drug use, dental surgery and/or serious |
| discovered. Valvular heart disease is | | | | types of infections. Anyone who suffers |
| broken down into congenital valve | | | | from valve disease (excluding those who |
| disease, bicuspid aortic valve disease, | | | | have mitral valve prolapse) is at a |
| acquired valve disease and mitral valve | | | | terrible risk of getting endocarditis, |
| prolapse (MVP). | | | | which can be fatal if not treated |
| When valve disease is present at birth, | | | | immediately. |
| it is referred to as congenital valve | | | | Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is very |
| disease. This type generally affects the | | | | widespread and affects on average one to |
| pulmonic valve or the aortic valve. | | | | two percent of the American population |
| Sometimes the valves are simply not the | | | | on an annual basis. This disorder causes |
| correct size or else the leaflets have | | | | the mitral valve leaflets to fall back |
| not formed properly. | | | | into the left atrium while the heart is |
| Bicuspid aortic valve disease is | | | | contracting. MVP also makes the valve |
| congenital as well and in this case the | | | | tissues become strange in shape and they |
| bicuspid aortic valve has two cusps or | | | | become stretchy and cause seepage. It is |
| leaflets instead of the three it is | | | | rare for MVP to bring on any symptoms at |
| supposed to have. This can cause the | | | | all with a patient and most of the time |
| valve to be stiff, leaky or both. | | | | it does not necessitate any kind of |
| Acquired valve disease is any problem | | | | special medical treatment. |
| that happens as a result of once normal | | | | The above diseases and disorders are the |
| valves. Sometimes the makeup of valves | | | | most common causes of MVP but there are |
| change as a result of infections or | | | | other causes as well. A visit to the |
| diseases. Rheumatic fever causes the | | | | doctor and a variety of tests should |
| heart valve to become red and inflamed | | | | help pinpoint the exact cause of valve |
| and the leaflets to cling together. This | | | | disease if you are diagnosed with it. |
| then leads to the heart valves becoming | | | | Other causes include coronary artery |
| unnecessarily thickened, shortened, | | | | disease, cardiomyopathy (or heart muscle |
| rigid and scarred. This can then lead to | | | | disease), heart attack, hypertension, |
| mitral regurgitation. Rheumatic fever | | | | aortic aneurysms, connective tissue |
| often occurs as a result of a bacterial | | | | diseases, and sexually transmitted |
| infection, one of the most common being | | | | disease (the most common being |
| strep throat. However the vast array of | | | | syphilis). There are also less common |
| antibiotics that are available today | | | | reasons for valve disease such as |
| have greatly reduced the incidence of | | | | tumors, radiation and an assortment of |
| this infection. | | | | drug treatments. |
| Another disease that can cause acquired | | | | |