Cardiac valvulopathy is a condition where the heart valves become inflamed and stiff, preventing them from closing properly and allowing blood to flow backwards. The valves can be damaged by infections, injuries, aging, or previously by rheumatic fever. The most common type is degenerative valvulopathy in elderly patients as the valves harden and lose mobility over time. Valvulopathy is classified as light, moderate, or severe depending on the level of affection and whether treatment or surgery is needed. The main valves that can be affected are the mitral, aortic, pulmonary, and tricuspid valves. Symptoms depend on increased pressure in the heart chambers and the heart's ability to pump blood effectively.

1. Cardiac Valvulopathy
Maria Bouzaid

2. What is?
Cardiac Valvulopathy is a condition in which
the heart valve becomes inflamed and stiff.

3. The valve does not retain
adequately the blood
during the period of the
cycle in which the valve
must remain closed,
producing the returning
of the blood towards the
previous chamber.

6. The valves can get damaged for infections, for
traumatism, for aging, etc. Years ago the
fundamental reason was the rheumatic fever,
an infrequent disease now in the countries
developed

7. The most frequent is the degenerative
valvulopatía in elderly patients, that there
consists of the aging and hardening of the
valves, which limits his mobility and concerns
his functioning. It is necessary to bear in
mind that the valves are opened and
approximately 60 times are closed per
minute, so a 70-year-old person will have
realized this movement more than 2.000
million times

8. The gravity of the valvulopathy is classified in
3 groups:
+Light: minimal affectation that never needs
treatment and only a follow-up.
+Moderated: that needs a narrower follow-up
and in some occasions it needs treatment.
+Severe: that will need surgical treatment
always and when there are fulfilled a series
of associate requirements.

11. The four heart valves that may have diseases
are:
Mitral valve: separates the left atrium from
the left ventricle
Aortic valve separates the left ventricle from
the aorta
Pulmonary valve: separates the right ventricle
from the pulmonary artery
Tricuspid valve: separates the right atrium
from the right ventricle

14. Symptoms of valve disease depend mainly on:
- Increased pressure in the atria
- Commitment of cardiac output
- Imbalance between supply and myocardial
O2 consumption

17. Complications
If the heart is damaged, it is more likely that
is infected. Endocarditis is an infection of the
heart lining. It can affect the heart valves and
can be very serious.
If someone has a heart valve disease, he may
need to take antibiotics before surgery to
reduce the risk of infection.

18. Surgery
The defective heart valve can be replaced with
an artificial valve (valve replacement) or can
be repaired if possible (valve repair). Both
procedures are performed under general
anesthesia. This means you will be asleep
during the operation.
defective