Heart Valve Disease

Valvular heart disease is a disease caused by a disorder or disorder in one or more of the four heart valves, blood is difficult to flow into the next chamber or vein, or partly in place to

heart valve or heart valve is an organ that has a mechanism such as a door or door in the direction of the heart. Heart valves are used to maintain blood flow from the heart to flow properly, either in the heart chambers or the heart in blood vessels. There are four heart valves located respectively:

• Between the terrace (atrium) with the right space (ventricle) right, called the tricuspid valve.
• Between the left atrium to the left ventricle, which is called the mitral valve.
• Between the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries (pulmonary arteries), blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs to get oxygen, called the pulmonary valve.
• Between the left ventricle of the large artery (aorta), blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body, called the aortic valve.

If there is one or more abnormalities of the heart valve, blood circulation from the whole process, including oxygen and nutrients throughout the body is disrupted.
Causes of heart valve disease

heart valves operate every time the human heart beats. Mitral and tricuspid valves open simultaneously with blood in the heart chambers, valves close. The heart chambers pump blood and then through the aorta and pulmonary valve, which then closes after blood comes out of both chambers of the heart. This repetitive mechanism that can be disrupted when the heart valve is not working properly.

There are two main disorders in heart valve disease, namely:

• heart valve stenosis. This disorder occurs when the heart valve cannot open properly because the valve has become stiff, thickened or stuck together. This condition makes blood unable to flow to the next body or room all the muscles trigger the heart then work harder to pump blood, heart attacks and CAN occur to the victim. This can occur in four heart valves, and the name of the disease after the name is affected by heart valve disorders. For example, tricuspid valve stenosis, pulmonary valve stenosis, mitral valve stenosis or aortic valve narrowing.
• heart failure or valve regurgitation. Usually called a leaky heart valve, is a condition that the heart valve cannot close properly or does not return to its original position. This condition makes blood flow to the heart play before, which reduces the amount of blood flow throughout the body. This can also occur in four heart valves, as well as heart valve stenosis, which can cause heart muscle damage.

Valvular heart disease can occur from birth, or be acquired as an adult. The cause of heart valve disease that appears at birth (congenital heart disease) is unknown. For heart disease obtained can be caused by:

• Aging process.
• rheumatic fever.
• Hypertension.
• heart failure.
• Cardiomyopathy.
• The process of atherosclerosis.
• tissue damage due to heart attack.
• Endocarditis.
• autoimmune diseases, diseases caused by disorders of the immune system to learn, so that the immune system (immune system) is supposed to protect the same attack.
• Radiotherapy.

Symptoms of heart valve disease

heart valve serves to maintain the smooth flow of blood to the heart. The gap widens and the closer between the valves, can increase the pressure on the heart to pump stronger so. This condition causes symptoms that must be considered, such as:

• Hard to breathe.
• chest pain.
• Dizzy.
• Fatigue.
• heart rhythm disorders.
• Passed out.
• Edema (excessive swelling in the legs, abdomen and ankles as a result of fluid lock), which also causes rapid weight gain.
• Cheek is pulled, especially in patients with mitral valve stenosis.
• coughing up blood.

Consult a doctor if you experience these symptoms for proper diagnosis and treatment. Symptoms can indicate the type of disorder felt by the heart or other conditions, so it is important to carry out further analysis.
Diagnosis of valvular heart disease

Valvular heart disease can be diagnosed based on symptoms and after the patient undergoes the same physical test he examines the patient with heart disease. Physical examination is done by listening to the sound of an abnormal heartbeat at the time of examination with a stethoscope (loud murmur or heart), or irregular heart rhythm, and estimating the size of the heart.

In addition to physical examinations, doctors need to investigate, for example:

• Electrocardiography (ECG). Knowing images of electrical heart activity, detection of enlarged heart space, and cardiac arrhythmias.
• X-ray chest. Can see an enlargement of the condition of the heart and lungs.
• ECG Treadmill. To measure the physical activity of monitoring the heart company.
• Echocardiography. Echocardiography is an ultrasound image of the heart, which produces sound waves. Echocardiography can see the movement of the heart, the structure of the heart, heart valves, and blood flow in the heart. Echocardiography, such as ultrasound, is done by attaching a probe through the outer wall of the chest, and then displaying an image on the monitor. Apart from passing through the chest wall, the probe can be inserted through the mouth into the esophagus (throat) to see this test called a closer heart, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
• cardiac catheterization. Done by injecting a dye (contrast) in the coronary arteries and X-rays taken. To inject the dye, a tube (catheter) is inserted through an artery in the arm or leg. This examination is done to see in detail the coronary arteries, heart cavity pressure measured, and evaluation of heart function.
• MRI of the heart. Tests that use magnetic field and radio waves to view heart images and valve details, to determine the severity of valvular heart disease. 

Treatment of valvular heart disease

So far, there is no drug that can treat heart valve disease. However, medication and a healthy lifestyle can alleviate symptoms and inhibit the severity of the disease later in life. This medicine:

• diuretic, used diuretic removes the class of drug fluid from the bloodstream and body tissues, so that the burden on the heart is reduced.
• beta blockers, which are types of drugs that can help alleviate the performance of the heart by making the heart beat slower and harder. This drug can also treat hypertension problems. Examples of bisoprolol beta-blockers.
• Anticoagulants, drugs that will slow the process of blood clotting to prevent the formation of blood clots in the heart valves.
• Antiarrhythmics, such as drugs that can control heart rhythm due to valvular heart disease, such as amiodarone.
• angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE inhibitors), drugs that can reduce the workload of the heart. An example of this class of medicine is ramipril.
• Vasodilators, which are a class of drugs that relieve heart function and regulate blood flow so that it does not return again like nitroglycerin.

Surgery can be performed to repair or replace a heart valve, where possible heart valve reconstruction surgery is better for heart valve replacement surgery. This is because heart valve repair surgery has a lower risk of endocarditis and patients who undergo cardiac repair surgery do not need to take blood thinners for life, such as heart valve replacement surgery. The severity of the disease, age and general health are considered that the doctor recommends surgery, repair or replacement of a heart valve.
Prevention of heart valve disease
Because heart valve disease can be caused by rheumatic fever, be aware of the symptoms that appear in Streptococcus bacteria in the throat, such as fever, sore throat and swallowing pain, small red spots on the roof of the mouth and lymphadenopathy in the neck. Consult your doctor if you experience these symptoms for treatment to prevent heart valve disease.

Start a healthy lifestyle such as exercise and a good diet for heart health to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure and prevent heart attacks and heart failure.

Patients suffering from valvular heart disease have an increased risk of endocarditis if they do not maintain good oral health. bacteria that cause infections can enter the teeth into bloodstream infections. Thus, patients with valvular heart disease are invited to make regular dental health checks to the dentist, in addition to a review by a cardiologist.

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