What is heart valve disease?

Heart valve disease happens when one or more of your heart’s valves cannot open and close properly. It affects the blood flow around your heart and body, and your heart has to work harder to pump blood.

Your heart has 4 valves: the tricuspid, mitral, pulmonary and aortic valves. These valves are like one-way doors. Every time your heart beats, they open to let blood flow through and then quickly close to stop blood flowing backwards. This makes sure blood flows into and out of your heart in the right direction.

There are different types of heart valve disease. Any of your 4 heart valves can be affected by disease but the aortic or mitral valves are most commonly affected.

More than half a million Australians are diagnosed with heart valve disease. Many more Australians are living with it and have not been diagnosed. Although heart valve disease can cause serious complications, treatments are improving. If you are diagnosed early and treated well, you can continue to live well.

What are the different types of heart valve disease?

There are different types of heart valve disease:

• stenosis — your valve becomes very thick and stiff, making it narrow. The valve cannot open fully, and blood flow becomes restricted. This puts a strain on your heart. One of the most common types of heart valve disease is aortic stenosis.
• regurgitation — your valve does not fully close and is ‘leaky’. Blood flows backwards in your heart. This means that less blood can be pumped around your body. Your heart must work harder.
• atresia — your valve did not develop properly. This valve is fully blocked and no blood can flow through the valve.

Sometimes, more than one of your heart valves can have disease. You can also suffer from more than one type of heart valve disease.

What are the symptoms of heart valve disease?

If you have heart valve disease you may develop the following symptoms:

• heart murmur
• chest pains
• shortness of breath
• tiredness, dizziness, light headedness, fainting
• irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• having a fever
• swelling of your ankles and feet

One of the first signs of heart valve disease can be a heart murmur. When your doctor listens to your heart sounds, they may hear a murmur as blood flows through a heart valve that is not opening or closing properly.

Remember, having a murmur does not mean that you have heart valve disease. You can have a heart murmur and a healthy heart.

Symptoms of heart valve disease can be different between people. Your symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe.

Even if you do not have any symptoms, heart valve disease still needs treating.

What causes heart valve disease?

There are many causes of heart valve disease, including:

• congenital heart valve disease
• endocarditis
• rheumatic fever — an infection that scars your heart valves
• heart attack, heart failure, cardiomyopathy
• atrial fibrillation
• genetics — family history of heart valve disease
• ageing — as you get older, calcium may collect on your heart valves causing aortic stenosis. Ageing may also cause degenerative valve disease, meaning over time a valve does not work well.

Sometimes, it is not possible to know what caused your heart valve disease.

When should I see my doctor?

You should see your doctor if you feel you are having any symptoms of heart valve disease or if you are worried about your health.

If you are aged 45 years or more (or 35 years old for Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander people) you should visit your doctor for a ‘Heart Health Check’ every 2 years. This 20-minute check-up will calculate your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Your doctor or nurse can help support you in lowering your risk. This can save your life.

How is heart valve disease diagnosed?

If your doctor suspects you have heart valve disease, they can diagnose you by:

• asking you about your symptoms.
• physically examining you
• listening to your heart to hear a murmur
• referring you to do tests, including an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, chest x-ray or CT scan of your chest

Your doctor will decide which tests are best suited for you, based on your situation.

How is heart valve disease treated?

There are many different treatments available for heart valve disease, including the following:

• medicines — these can help manage your symptoms or causes of heart valve disease
• surgery — your doctor may recommend surgery to repair or replace your heart valve
• minimally invasive procedures such as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) — the procedure happens through small cuts to the skin. TAVI is recommended for older people where a new valve is inserted without taking the old one out.

You will be treated by a cardiologist. Your treatment depends on what is causing your disease and the impact it is having on your health and lifestyle.

If you follow your cardiologist’s advice and treatment recommendations, you can continue to live an active life.

Can heart valve disease be prevented?

You can help prevent heart valve disease from developing or worsening by having a healthy lifestyle, such as by:

• being physically active
• eating a healthy diet
• trying to maintain a healthy weight
• quitting smoking
• limiting alcohol
• getting enough sleep

Prevention focuses on lifestyle changes because many things causing heart valve disease happen because of lifestyle factors.

Complications of heart valve disease

Heart valve disease can cause complications, especially if you do not treat it, such as:

• heart failure
• stroke
• blood clots
• arrhythmia
• death

Resources and support

The Heart Foundation has information about Heart Health Checks and why they are so important.

For help to quit smoking, call Quitline or Aboriginal Quitline (staffed by Aboriginal counsellors) on 13 7848 (13 QUIT).

Use the Dietitians Australia search tool to find an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) to support your nutrition health needs.

Do you prefer to read in languages other than English?

Heart Foundation has tips for adopting healthy heart habits in Arabic, Mandarin and Vietnamese.