Mercy Heart & Vascular Services

Conditions - Valvular Heart Disease

Vavular Heart Disease

Valvular heart disease is when one or more of the heart’s four valves are damaged or defective. The four heart valves are: mitral, aortic, tricuspid, or pulmonary. When any of those four valves are diseased they become more narrow and hard and so are unable to fully open and/or close. As a result, blood can pool and create clots which increase the risk of pulmonary embolism or stroke.

You can have valvular heart disease and have no symptoms or experience varied symptoms such as:

• chest pain
• heart palpitations
• fatigue
• shortness of breath
• swelling in extremities
• vertigo
• weight gain

If severe enough, valvular heart disease can cause heart attack or lead to congestive heart failure (CHF). Your Mercy Heart and Vascular Center care provider can determine your risk for valvular heart disease.