Heart Valve Disease

Treatment

Monitoring

If tests reveals a mild to moderate condition and there are no symptoms, the physician will suggest regular medical checkups to carefully monitor the valve. Actively observing the heart valve defect is important so that the right treatment can be started at the right time. Heart valves need to be repaired or replaced before irreversible damage occurs.

Medication

Currently, no medication can correct a heart valve defect. However, patients may benefit from medications to reduce the heart's workload, regulate heart rhythms, and in some cases slow or halt the progression of the heart valve disease.

Antibiotics prior to dental or surgical procedures are needed by almost everyone with a heart valve defect to prevent endocarditis, a serious bacterial infection of the heart. Read more about endocarditis prevention.

Depending on the nature of the heart valve disease, the following medications may be prescribed:

• Digitalis, which reduces the workload on the heart and eases some symptoms.
• Diuretics, which can lower the salt and fluid levels in the body, lowering the pressure at which blood passes through the valves. Diuretics also reduce swelling and ease the workload on the heart.
• Anticoagulant medicines, which prevent blood clots, especially in patients who have had heart valve surgery and have a replacement valve made of synthetic material.
• Beta-blockers, which control the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
• Calcium channel blockers, which affect the contractions of muscle tissue in the heart. By lowering your blood pressure and reducing the workload on your heart, calcium channel blockers may put off the need for heart valve surgery.
• ACE inhibitors, which widen blood vessels, lower blood pressure and decrease the workload of the heart.

Surgical options

If the condition becomes worse and cannot be controlled by medications, surgery may be needed to repair or replace the damaged valve. Mayo Clinic heart surgeons are among the world leaders in successful heart valve repair and replacement. Read more about heart valve surgery at Mayo Clinic.