Heart Valves

Heart Valves

Have you ever asked the question what are heart valves? Well, if so you are probably not alone. For those of us who have spent some time on the internet doing research on heart disease the term heart calves comes up often. In short, the heart valves open close when the heart beats in order to ensure that blood flows in only one direction. Without the aid of heart valves, it would be impossible for blood to pump through all four of the hearts chambers. As you could imagine, this is why the heart valves are so important. If you have symptoms of a condition that has to do with heart valves it would be a wise idea to see your doctor as soon as possible. If the heart valves are not functioning properly then there is a chance that you could have a heart attack.

Heart Valve Overview

Each heart valve has a set of flaps that open and close in full when they are functioning properly. The valves can be defective at birth or there are things that can happen in order to make them become defective.

* There are four heart valves located in the heart.
* The tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle.
* The pulmonary valve can be found between the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle.
* Between the left atrium and the left ventricle is the mitral valve.
* The aortic valve is between the aorta and left ventricle.
* An infection can cause any one of the heart valves to malfunction.
* As you become older, the valve structure can change for the worse.

Defective Heart Valves

* A defective heart valve could be one that does not open fully which means that enough blood is not getting through to the heart.
* A defective valve may also not close completely which can lead to a backup of blood in the heart and surrounding areas.
* Defective heart valves can either be treated with medication or surgery. The severity of the malfunction with the valve determines the course of treatment.

Exactly what are heart valves is a question that everyone should know the answer to. Since properly functioning heart valves are essential to one’s health is really important to know what the warning signs are for this condition. Having a faulty heart valve diagnosed early will give you a better chance of living comfortably with the condition.

Replacement heart valve surgery

Valvular diseases (lesions of the four valves of the heart) in general have some common characteristics in terms of etiology, symptoms, clinical investigations but also others such as replacement heart valve surgery used in treatment.

Replacement heart valve surgery basics

There are four valves in our heart: mitral valve, aortic valve, pulmonary valve and tricuspid valve. These valves may have opening of valve problems (stenosis) or closing of valve problems (regurgitation). Interventional treatment (especially replacement heart valve surgery) is necessary when patients have symptoms for these lesions.
We can not expect that valve lesions consists have a spontaneously regressive evolution and therefore the most common method of treatment is the replacement hear valve surgery. There are cases when multiple heart valves are affected. The surgery is performed by repairing or replacing the heart valve. Replacement heart valve surgery is surgery that is performed when the valve can not be repaired and the heart valve is replaced with a prosthetic valve. Before replacement heart valve surgery patients will receive general anesthesia during which they will be asleep and will not feel pain. The most replaced valves are mitral valve and aortic valve. There two kinds of valves used for the replacement heart valve: mechanical valves and biological valves. Biological valves may come from pigs, cows or human donor. Biological valves from human donor may be heart valves or pulmonary valve especially for aortic valve replacement. Mechanical valves are much better then biological valves. After replacement heart valve surgery with mechanical valve patients must follow treatment with anticoagulants or with aspirin for the rest of his life.
Mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation
Replacement heart valve surgery for mitral stenosis is indicated in patients suffering from medium or large stenosis (mitral valve orifice of less than 1 inch or symptomatic patients and mitral valve opening more than 1 inch).  The most common cause of mitral stenosis is rheumatic disease. Prophylactic replacement heart valve surgery for mitral stenosis may be made to women who want to have a child.
Replacement heart valve surgery can also be done for mitral regurgitation. But this can have some disadvantages: first because replaced valve can not function as original valve and second because may be some complications of surgery (embolism, infection in the body, coagulation changes or endocarditis – infections of heart valve).
Aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation
Aortic valves are different from mitral valves such as structure and function. Replacement heart valve surgery is done both for congenital aortic stenosis and for acquired aortic stenosis. Indications for surgery can be done to symptomatic patients or to patients with moderate aortic stenosis who have other heart surgery.
Replacement heart valve surgery for aortic regurgitation is an easy surgery to replace aortic valve. Mortality of this intervention is quite high.
Complications related to valve replacement are increasingly rare lately and when they occur is necessary a new surgery.

In conclusion replacement heart valve surgery is a very good technique to solve valvular heart problems.

Marfan syndrome life expectancy

When we talk about Marfan syndrome should really talk about Marfan syndrome life expectancy because it is a disease that undiagnosed, timely can lead to the death of the patients.
Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder (autosomal dominant) characterized by connective tissue damage. This syndrome includes multiple malformations of organs (bones, eyes, skin, intestines, heart and lungs).

Marfan syndrome symptoms

Most of the visible signs or symptoms occur in the skeletal system. The patients  suffering from Marfan syndrome are taller than patients without the disease and arachnodactyly ( very thin and long fingers). Another anomaly in the skeletal system is pectus excavatus (deformity of the anterior wall of the chest which penetrates inside sternum) and scoliosis (abnormality of the spine that consists of spine deformity in the form of the letter S). Other signs include abnormal joint flexibility and sometimes pain in joint.
The most important signs and symptoms  associated with Marfan syndrome are the cardiovascular symptoms. This are mitral or aortic valve prolapse (the most common heart valve abnormality) and aneurysm of the aorta.  Many patients with Marfan syndrom have some type of vision problems of which the most important are myopia (a visual anomaly in which distant objects appear blurred), glaucoma and cataracts. This can severely influence Marfan syndrome life expectancy.

Marfan syndrome life expectancy

Marfan syndrome life expectancy may be different from patient to patient. There is no treatment for the Marfan syndrome, but life expectancy may be influenced by monitoring and treatment of complications that can occur. Marfan syndrome life expectancy increased lately because of the advancement in medical techniques and appearance of new treatments.
Best way to expend Marfan syndrome life expectancy is tracking the aneurysm of the aorta and mitral valve prolapse. This is done by a cardiologist annual control for monitoring the health of the heart valves and the aorta. This is done by performing an ECG or another radiological method for the visualization of the anomaly (such as CT or MRI image). The goal of treatment in Marfan syndrome is to slow the progression of the aortic dilatation and to prevent the dissection of the aorta. Another goal of the treatment is to eliminate arrythmias and diminuate the heart rate.
The skeletal manifestations of this syndrome are also important for Marfan syndrome life expectancy. They can be serious and can affect patients life. To solve these problems are used different kinds of pain medication or muscle relaxants.
Because some of the Marfan symptoms of the spine may be asymptomatic, but serious if are not treated, they can be solved by surgery and thus increase the Marfan syndrome life expectancy.
Lung damage involves spontaneous pneumothorax and Marfan syndrome life expectancy depends on the volume of air in the pleural space.  It may resolve by itself or can be made by chest drainage.
Conclusion

Today patients with this syndrome needs to know is not the end of life and Marfan syndrome life expectancy can be good if patients are addressed in time to the doctor.