Heart valve leakage disease is another silent and frightening danger for the Thai people since it is a disease that often does not show symptoms in the early stages. Although symptoms begin to appear when the patient enters adolescence, it is still hard to detect. The noticeable symptoms such as fatigue and tiredness will gradually appear when patients reach 40-50 years of age.
Heart Valve Regurgitation is an abnormality of a heart valve that does not close properly, has a hole, or is torn, causing blood to flow backward. It causes the heart to have to work harder than normal to pump enough blood into the body. Patients with this disease often have symptoms of tiredness and fatigue, unable to do various activities. If left untreated until symptoms worsen significantly, it can lead to death due to heart failure.
When abnormalities occur in the heart valves, it affects the blood flow cycle, which can be life-threatening. Leaky heart valve disease is another silent disease. Symptoms do not appear until the heart valves are damaged resulting in increased blood congestion in the heart, leading to heart failure and subsequent sudden death.
Leaky heart valve disease can be found in both males and females from birth to the elderly. In most cases, heart valve leakage disease is caused by defects in the heart valve tissue since birth, the heart valves deteriorate more quickly than other people. Patients often have no symptoms in childhood but may start to feel tired easily, and have heart palpitations when entering adolescence. In the case where the patient was not born with it, it may occur due to the following factors.
When the body naturally deteriorates entering old age, this may cause tartar to adhere to the heart valves and cause abnormal opening and closing of the heart valves, leading to heart valve disease and/or stenosis.
Rheumatic Heart Disease is caused by an infection in the throat, and then inflammation spreads to the heart muscle, the pericardium, and heart valves, causing the heart valve to leak and if it is chronic, it can cause heart valve stenosis as well. It usually occurs in children aged 5 years old and older, but symptoms usually begin to appear as they get older.
It is usually caused by an infection in the bloodstream, and the infection causes inflammation and spreads to the heart valves.
When the coronary arteries are blocked, it results in myocardial death, causing problems with the heart valve leaking as a result. It usually occurs in men over 40 years old and women over 50 years old or who are postmenopausal. This condition may be a complication of other chronic diseases and risky behaviors such as diabetes and high blood pressure, high blood fat, regular smoking, or heredity, etc.
The heart is considered the body's most important and strong organ, when there is a slight abnormality, there are often no symptoms or mild symptoms. In most cases, the symptoms of the disease are gradual but can be observed, including:
Patients often cannot do activities for long, feel tired, and have difficulty breathing when exerted. Doctor examination most likely encounters a “humming sound” which is an abnormal heart sound that is often found when blood flows in the opposite direction within the heart.
Swelling in the feet and ankles is usually caused by an abnormality of the right heart valve, blood from the legs does not flow easily back into the right side of the heart, resulting in coughing with blood-tinged phlegm. Those with severe symptoms may have pulmonary edema, making it impossible to lie down.
The circulatory system and the heart's pumping system are abnormal, causing fainting sensations or suddenly becoming unconscious.
Chest pain may last for hours or days, with symptoms becoming more apparent when changing positions, moving, or breathing deeply. If notice any abnormalities, immediately see a doctor for a heart disease or heart valve disease diagnosis.
Foods that patients with heart valve leakage must avoid:
The stages of heart valve leakage are initially divided into three stages: early-stage, intermediate-stage, and advanced-stage. A heart valve leakage is one of the most terrifying silent dangers since this disease often does not show symptoms in the initial stages but only begins to appear when entering adolescence, however not severe. The severe symptoms only show at about the age of 40-50 years, causing the patient to become more tired with almost every movement.
If the patient is found to have a heart valve leakage disease, the doctor will provide treatment according to the severity of the condition. If it is found that the heart valve is very leaky or the muscles that support the opening and closing of the heart valves become loose, bulging, or very thick, the doctor will treat it with surgery, which is divided into two types as follows:
This treatment is to repair parts of the heart valve that are damaged, torn, or leaking by peeling the limestone that clings out and using the patient's heart tissue to repair it so that it can function as close to normal as possible. This method does not cause a reaction from the body but can only be done in certain cases.
The treatment is considered an option for patients in cases where the heart valve is found to be severely deteriorated, torn, or has calcium on it. The doctor will perform the surgery according to the standard method, which is by opening an incision in the middle of the chest to remove the damaged heart valve and then inserting an artificial heart valve to replace it.
The artificial heart valve is available in natural or “tissue tongues”, which are made from cow or pig heart tissue. This type of valve has a lifespan of no more than 15 years, or artificial heart valves that are made from synthetic materials (Titanium or Chromium-Cobalt) which are durable for the lifetime. However, the patient must take medicine to prevent blood clotting.
Currently, treatment is continuously advancing, with the TAVI technology (Transcatheter aortic valve implantation) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement without opening the chest. The operation is accurate, and safe, and provides results that are as effective as surgery, reducing the recovery time to a minimum with fewer risks and side effects compared to traditional surgery.
Heart valve leakage disease is challenging to prevent, its causes often stem from unavoidable factors, such as heredity or birth defects. For those who were not born with heart valve leakage, follow these instructions to reduce the risk of disease:
If you find yourself suffering from a leaky heart valve disease, the following instructions should be strictly followed, even in patients with heart valve disease who have mild symptoms and can live a normal life.
Leaky heart valve disease is a disease that rarely shows symptoms and may be caused by factors that cannot be controlled, so you should observe yourself regularly. Avoid risky behaviors and get an annual health check. If you experience chest pain, tiredness, or swollen feet, you should see a doctor immediately for a diagnosis. When abnormalities are found early, the disease can be slowed down and received timely treatment.
For more details and inquiries, Ramkhamhaeng Hospital, Tel. 1512
