Understanding Heart Valve Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but it’s a term that encompasses a lot of various heart conditions. One heart disease most commonly seen in older adults is heart valve disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 13 percent of those born before 1943 have heart valve disease. It’s a severe condition, but you can lower your risk of developing it by understanding how it affects the body and how to prevent it.

What is Heart Valve Disease?

Your heart has four valves. The valves are responsible for making sure your blood flows in the right direction. Heart valve disease happens when one of these values doesn’t open or close properly, which disrupts blood flow from your heart to the rest of your body. Not everyone experiences symptoms, but some experience chest pain, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, and an irregular heartbeat.

Heart valve disease may be present at birth, but it can also develop in adults who have had heart infections or other heart conditions. Additional risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. If left untreated, heart valve disease can lead to heart failure, stroke, blood clots or heart rhythm abnormalities.

Treating Heart Valve Disease

The treatment of heart valve disease differs depending on the severity of symptoms. You may not need treatment in some cases, but your doctor may suggest monitoring the condition and making lifestyle modifications to prevent the symptoms from worsening.

If the disease continues to progress, your doctor may suggest surgery to replace or repair the valve. Your doctor may also recommend surgery if you have another heart condition to prevent further complications. Most heart valve surgeries are minimally invasive. Doctors can perform the surgery through a small incision on the chest or through a catheter procedure.

After surgery, most patients recover in 3 weeks, which is quick compared to open-heart surgery, taking 8 to 10 weeks to recover. You’ll likely experience pain and weakness after surgery, but you can expect it to subside with each day. Be careful about overexerting yourself, and be sure to keep your incision clean during recovery to avoid infection. If you need assistance during recovery, you may want to consider hiring an at-home caregiver.

Preventing Heart Valve Disease

Keeping your heart and body healthy with lifestyle modifications can significantly reduce your heart valve disease chances.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. Foods filled with salt and saturated fats can cause spikes in your cholesterol levels. Keep your cholesterol levels low by eating lots of fresh produce, whole grains and lean meats such as poultry or fish. Also, try to cut back on dairy products. Instead, look for dairy alternatives made with ingredients such as soy or oat milk.
Find ways to manage your stress. Experiencing small amounts of stress is normal, but excessive stress can cause harm to your body. Experiment with ways to manage your stress. You can try meditation, at-home self-care, exercise, or spending time with your loved ones.
Attend your doctor’s appointments. If you have early signs of heart valve disease, your doctor may not suggest treatment right away but will instead want to monitor your heart and manage your symptoms. While monitoring your condition, it’s essential to attend all of your appointments, even if your symptoms subside. Make sure your share any changes in your situation or concerns you may have, even if you don’t think they’re important. Giving your doctor information helps them create a more well-rounded picture of your health and helps them identify potential problems early on.
Start an exercise routine. Regular exercise keeps your heart strong and also helps you maintain a healthy weight. Aim to work out for at least 30 minutes every other day. Your workouts don’t have to be strenuous, but they should be of moderate-intensity to get your heart rate up. Some activities you can try include brisk walks, cycling or swimming. Also, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new workout routine to avoid injury.
Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol use. Smoking and drinking take a toll on the body, but it can also be challenging to quit. If you struggle with tobacco or alcohol use, ask your doctors for resources and treatment options.

How Visiting Angels Can Help

If you or a loved one recently had heart valve surgery and need assistance until you recover fully, the Visiting Angels Gadsden team can help. Our compassionate caregivers can assist with bathing, light housekeeping, meal preparation, toileting, laundry and more. The Gadsden office serves those in Blount, Marshall, Etowah counties and the surrounding area. If you’d like to learn more about our services, you can schedule a free consultation by calling 256.507.0083.