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Best Nephrology Hospital In Hyderabad

There are 4 important valves or delicate tissue like structures in your heart- that are designed to help blood flow in one particular direction only. When these valves leak, blood can flow backwards and this can cause your heart to work harder and pump less efficiently than before. If this continues for a long time, it can cause your heart to get affected and cause long term damage too. The 4 valves which we just talked about are called the aortic, pulmonary, mitral and tricuspid valves respectively. Mitral valve regurgitation is the most common condition that is found in the Indian subcontinent, though the others are not completely absent.

What Is Heart Valve Regurgitation?

Heart valve regurgitation is a phenomenon wherein the leaflets of the heart valves do not close appropriately, leading to the leakage of blood backwards. The other probability is that blood leaks out just when the leaflets are about to close. Conditions mentioned above have the potential to make your heart pump much harder than ever, to push the same amount of blood as it did before. If your doctor says it is mild, then you may probably not need any invasive treatment and will do just fine with medications alone. But in more severe conditions or if more than one valve are affected, you might be recommended valve repair surgery or valve replacement surgery- depending on the severity of your condition.

Causes Of Leaky Heart Valves-

The valves themselves are not singular structures but can be thought of as gates-in the form of leaflets opening and closing one after the other in different chambers of the heart, so that blood can flow unidirectionally. When these flaps or leaflets don't close tightly, or close slowly, leakage of blood can occur. Some common causes of valve regurgitation include: The most common cause worldwide is rheumatic heart disease. Congenital defects Connective tissue disease If you have had endocarditis before

If you have had any traumatic injury before

If you have undergone radiation therapy for cancer-then you are at greater risk of having a damaged valve. If this is left untreated, there may occur secondary conditions or other issues.

Symptoms Of Valve Regurgitation-

Some symptoms to watch out for include.

Not being able to breathe freely.

You may commonly feel a smothering sensation or tightness in your chest.

Low levels of blood oxygen are also problematic. Fluid retention in your limbs.

Heart Valve Regurgitation Diagnosis (Echocardiogram, MRI)-

Diagnosis always starts with a thorough physical examination and taking your medical history. They will also look for swelling or fluid retention in your body. Special diagnostic tests such as transthoracic echocardiogram or transesophageal echocardiogram may be advised in a few cases. Otherwise, usually a CT scan, stress tests, cardiac MRI, and coronary angiograms are done to diagnose and determine the severity of the condition.

Treatment Options For Leaky Heart Valves-

Your doctor will have to first see which valve is affected, then check what kind of regurgitation you have-that is, whether it is primary or secondary-check the severity, and then recommend appropriate treatment. If you have mild heart valve regurgitation, then you may do well with medications like anticoagulants to prevent blood from clotting and antibiotics-to get rid of infections-diuretics to reduce edema, beta-blockers to decrease heart rate, etc. among others. If you have secondary regurgitation, then treating the underlying cause can make it go away in some time. If you are at risk of developing heart failure or already are in that stage, then surgical repair or replacement of the affected valves will be suggested.

Conclusion

Heart valve regurgitation requires timely diagnosis and proper treatment. Minimally invasive procedures today help patients recover faster with fewer risks. Whatever the treatment plan, maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle—eating well, exercising, and avoiding smoking or alcohol—is essential.

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