What is structural heart disease?
Structural heart disease refers to any abnormality in the heart's physical structure - particularly the heart valves, chambers, or walls. While some structural heart conditions are present from birth (congenital), others develop over time due to aging, disease, or other factors.
Heart valve disease is the most common type of structural heart disease, affecting about 2.5% of people in the United States.
When one or more of your heart valves is damaged or defective, the heart cannot function properly, leading to serious health complications. Over time, heart valve problems can lead to heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia).
How your heart valves work
- Your heart has four valves that control blood flow through its chambers:
- The aortic valve controls flow between the heart and the body's main artery (aorta)
- The mitral valve controls flow between the upper and lower left chambers
- The tricuspid valve controls flow between the upper and lower right chambers
- The pulmonary valve controls flow to the lungs
Common valve problems
There are two main types of valve problems:
Valve stenosis
- The valve becomes stiff and narrow
- Restricts blood flow through the valve
- Most commonly affects the aortic valve
- Typically develops gradually over many years
- Cannot be prevented but can be treated when severe
Valve regurgitation
- The valve doesn't close properly, allowing blood to leak backward
- Can affect any valve but most commonly the mitral valve
- May develop suddenly or gradually
- Various causes including aging, infection, or underlying heart conditions
Recognizing symptoms
Valve disease symptoms often develop gradually and may include:
- Shortness of breath, especially during activity
- Chest pain or pressure
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness or fainting
- Irregular heartbeat
- Swelling in ankles and feet
- Difficulty sleeping flat
- Decreased ability to exercise
- Important: If you experience sudden severe shortness of breath, chest pain, or fainting, seek immediate medical attention.
Heart valve disease causes and risk factors
Heart valve problems may be present at birth (congenital heart disease). They can also occur later in life because of:
- Aging
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coronary heart disease
- Diseases that weaken the heart, like Marfan syndrome
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Infections such as rheumatic fever and endocarditis
- Radiation therapy
- Unknown causes
Valve disease diagnosis
If your doctor suspects a structural heart or valve concern, they will evaluate your symptoms and recommend tests, usually including imaging tests. The Sentara Heart Valve Center offers the latest cardiac imaging and testing needed to diagnose and evaluate heart valve disease.
Why treatment matters
Left untreated, heart valve disease and other structural heart conditions can lead to heart failure, arrhythmia and heart attack. If you’re living with a heart valve condition, you’ll likely be advised to reduce your overall risk factors for heart disease.
Heart healthy recommendations for heart patients
- Control your blood pressure
- Eat a heart-healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress in healthy ways
- Quit smoking
For many patients, additional treatments are important for their heart valve condition.
In a healthy heart, all four heart valves (mitral, aortic, tricuspid and pulmonary) work together to pump blood from the upper chambers (known as aria) into the lower chambers (known as ventricles) to push blood to the lungs and vital organs. Your heart valves may not work correctly if you have a structural heart defect.
Heart valve disease is the most common type of structural heart disease, affecting about 2.5% of people in the United States.
When one or more of your heart valves is damaged or defective, the heart cannot function properly, leading to serious health complications. Over time, heart valve problems can lead to heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia).
Heart valve disease includes:
- Atresia: When a valve hasn't adequately formed or never formed (a heart defect present at birth)
- Regurgitation (also known as “leaky valve”): When a valve doesn't completely close and blood flows backward or “leaks” back into one of the heart’s chambers (also called prolapse)
- Stenosis: When a valve opening becomes narrow and reduces blood flow, reducing the amount of blood pumped to organs and tissues around the body.
Some people with severe heart valve disease do not have symptoms. Others might have uncomfortable symptoms, such as:
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness
- Dizziness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen ankles or feet
- Trouble sleeping, sitting up or walking short distances
Heart valve problems may be present at birth (congenital heart disease). They can also occur later in life because of:
- Aging
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coronary heart disease
- Diseases that weaken the heart, like Marfan syndrome
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Infections such as rheumatic fever and endocarditis
- Radiation therapy
- Unknown causes
If your doctor suspects a structural heart or valve concern, they will evaluate your symptoms and recommend tests, usually including imaging tests. The Sentara Heart Valve Center offers the latest cardiac imaging and testing needed to diagnose and evaluate heart valve disease.
Heart healthy recommendations for heart patients:
- Control your blood pressure
- Eat a heart-healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress in healthy ways
- Quit smoking
For many patients, additional treatments are important for their heart valve condition.
Contact the Sentara Heart Valve Center
To make an appointment with the Sentara Heart Valve Center, you will need a referral from your primary care provider or cardiologist.
They can fax the referral to (757) 222-3118 to start the process.