Types of Heart Valve Disease
With aortic valve regurgitation, the aortic valve doesn’t close tightly, causing blood to leak back into the heart’s left ventricle, and the heart has to work harder to pump blood to the body. When the condition develops over time, it’s called chronic. It may result from aging, rheumatic fever, enlargement of the aorta due to high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries, or having a damaged valve at birth. Acute cases happen suddenly and are commonly caused by a heart infection (endocarditis), a tear in the aorta (dissection), trauma or problems with a replacement valve.
Caused by the narrowing of the valve, aortic valve stenosis impedes the flow of blood, which weakens the heart and causes blood to back up into the lungs. It may be caused by a congenital heart defect, a build-up of calcium on the valve, rheumatic fever, or strep or other infections that weaken the valve.
When the mitral valve doesn’t close properly, mitral valve regurgitation can result, causing blood to flow back into the heart’s upper chambers. Chronic cases, when the condition develops gradually over time, are often caused by heart failure, rheumatic fever, a birth defect or the build-up of calcium on the valve. Acute cases happen suddenly and can stem from heart damage due to a heart attack or infection (endocarditis).
With mitral valve stenosis, the valve narrows, which hinders the flow of blood. Blood may back up into the lungs. Most cases are due to rheumatic fever resulting from an untreated strep infection.
Tricuspid valve disease occurs when this function is impaired. The more common form of tricuspid disease, known as tricuspid regurgitation or insufficiency, occurs when the valve cannot close adequately, resulting in the backward leakage of blood into the right atrium with each heart contraction. Alternatively, the valve may become stiff and narrowed preventing the forward flow of blood from the atrium to the ventricle, known as tricuspid stenosis.