What are the treatment options for people with problems with a heart valve?
A. Abnormalities with heart valves may exist at birth and may require early medical attention. Other problems may go unnoticed until later in life. Rheumatic fever or infections may cause the valves to not open freely (stenosis) or to close completely (regurgitation). Both these conditions increase the work load of the heart muscle and may cause the heart to become abnormally large. After treatment, people may lead normal lives with careful medical management. Others with more severe damage to valves may require surgery to repair or replace heart valves. In some cases, people with stenosis or leakage may be helped by repair procedures of the valves. The cardiologist may request a variety of tests to determine the cause of the valve problem before making any treatment recommendations.
