- 1. Meet Mark Ridder - AHA Heart Valve Ambassador Read about Mark's journey with heart valve disease, which began in high school, when a heart murmur was detected in a routine physical exam. Later in life he was diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis, which ultimately turned severe enough to require valve replacement surgery.
- 2. Roles of Your Four Heart Valves To better understand your valve condition, it helps to know the role each heart valve plays in providing healthy blood circulation.
- 3. Meet Christine Rekash - AHA Heart Valve Ambassador Christine Rekash thought she was prepared for open-heart surgery to repair a failing mitral valve, but several complications following her procedure made her realize that she had to take one step at a time. She now works to raise awareness about heart health and offer support to other patients facing heart valve disorders as part of the American Heart Association?s Heart Valve Ambassador program.
- 4. Heart Valve Awareness: Seek Clarity About Your Risks Educate yourself about your heart valve disease by recognizing and monitoring your risks and working closely with your doctor.
- 5. Heart Valve Diagnosis Criteria As you prepare for heart valve testing for a complete diagnosis, there are several criteria used to determine your particular needs.
- 6. How the Healthy Heart Works The American Heart Association explains how the healthy heart works.
- 7. Problem: Pulmonary Valve Regurgitation Pulmonary regurgitation (PR, also called pulmonic regurgitation) is a leaky pulmonary valve. Learn about its symptoms and causes.
- 8. Types of Replacement Heart Valves If you need to have a heart valve replacement, there are several choices to consider when selecting the type of valve you need. Learn more about them.
- 9. Understanding Heart Valve Problems and Causes Many heart valve problems can be identified by the presence of a murmur. This can indicate valve problems such as stenosis, regurgitation, prolapse and atresia.
- 10. Testing for Heart Valve Problems To fully understand your heart valve problem, your medical team may want to perform a series of tests to provide a complete picture of what needs repair and what may be best left alone. Learn about the various tests you may undergo.
- 11. Post Surgery Milestones: Managing Your Mood, Expectations and Goals Often people who are getting ready for major surgery have a whirlwind of details to juggle. Most people don?t stop to think about how they can help themselves feel good emotionally during their recovery.
- 12. Options and Considerations for Heart Valve Surgery Heart valve disease is not a condition that should be ignored when treatment is recommended. Learn about the risks associated with treatment.
- 13. Problem: Heart Valve Regurgitation Regurgitation occurs when blood flows back through the valve as the leaflets are closing or blood leaks through the leaflets when they should be completely closed. Learn about the types and how to deal with this heart condition.
- 14. Make Your Winning Post-Surgery Recovery Plan A little planning goes a long way when it comes to heart valve surgery. We have tips and checklists to help.
- 15. Problem: Heart Valve Stenosis Stenosis is the term for a heart valve that doesn?t open properly. Learn about the different types of stenosis or stenotic valves.
- 16. Medications for Heart Valve Symptoms Most valve conditions cannot be treated with medication alone. Sometimes the problem is not severe enough to require surgical repair, but it is bothersome enough to cause symptoms or risks. In cases like these, a condition might be effectively managed for a while with medication.
- 17. Problem: Pulmonary Valve Stenosis Pulmonary stenosis is a restriction of blood flowing through the valve from the heart to the lungs. Learn about treatment and ongoing care of this condition.
- 18. Heart Murmurs and Valve Disease Problematic heart murmurs are most often related to defective heart valves. Learn more about ongoing care of this condition.
- 19. Ross Procedure The Ross procedure is often very effective for treating damaged aortic valves. Learn why it works
- 20. Risks for Heart Valve Problems Learn who is at risk of having heart valve problems, or valvular heart disease.
- 21. Problem: Mitral Valve Stenosis Mitral stenosis is a narrowing of the mitral valve opening. Learn about its causes and treatments.
- 22. Heart Valves and Circulation To fully understand your valve condition or the problems you or your loved one may be facing, it helps to understand the basics of heart valves and circulation.
- 23. Problem: Tricuspid Valve Stenosis Tricuspid stenosis is a narrowing of the tricuspid valve opening. Learn how it affects your heart valves.
- 24. Newer Heart Valve Surgery Options People with high risks and severe aortic valve tightness may be good candidates for a less invasive repair or an alternative treatment called a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
- 25. Symptoms of Heart Valve Problems Most valve conditions cannot be treated with medication alone. Sometimes the problem is not severe enough to require surgical repair, but it is bothersome enough to cause symptoms or risks. In cases like these, a condition might be effectively managed for a while with medication.
- 26. Options for Heart Valve Repair The goal of heart valve surgery is to cure the problem or lengthen life by restoring the function of your heart valves. Learn about valve repair vs replacement.
- 27. Heart Valve Surgery Recovery and Follow Up Learn what to expect after heart valve surgery and other recovery issues.
- 28. "Innocent" Heart Murmur Although some heart murmurs do indicate heart valve problems, many heart murmurs are considered to be ?innocent? or harmless. Learn about ongoing care of this condition.
- 29. Recognizing the Symptoms of Worsening Heart Valve Disease Would you recognize the symptoms of worsening heart valve disease? When heart valve problems are severe, there are often no recognizable symptoms until heart damage has progressed significantly,
- 30. Meet Robert Epps - Inspired Volunteer Educator Read Robert's heart valve replacement story about his wake-up call and the gratitude that fuels his life and his mission today.
- 31. Heart Valve Surgery Goals When any person is considering heart valve replacement, it can be helpful to know the overall goals of the procedure and how your medical professionals will track the success and your return to wellness. Here are some of the likely goals for any valve surgery.
- 32. Heart Valve Terms and Related Conditions As you prepare for heart valve testing for a complete diagnosis, here are some terms and related conditions you may find helpful
- 33. What is TAVR? Patients who cannot tolerate surgery for aortic valve replacement may be good candidates for a less invasive approach called TAVI or TAVR.
- 34. Heart Valves and Infective Endocarditis Learn about infective endocarditis and how it can affect your heart valves.
- 35. What is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH)? Left Ventricular Hypertrophy or LVH is a term for a heart?s left pumping chamber that has thickened and may not be pumping efficiently. Learn symptoms and more.
- 36. Problem: Mitral Valve Prolapse Mitral Valve Prolapse is a condition in which the two valve flaps of the mitral valve do not close evenly. Learn about MVP's symptoms and treatment.
- 37. Problem: Aortic Valve Regurgitation Aortic regurgitation describes the leakage of the aortic valve each time the left ventricle relaxes. Learn about ongoing care of this condition.
- 38. Problem: Mitral Valve Regurgitation Mitral regurgitation is leakage of blood backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts. Learn about ongoing care of this condition.
- 39. Karen's Story: A Positive Attitude Makes All the Difference Read Karen's story about facing heart valve surgery in her 80s.
- 40. Problem: Aortic Valve Stenosis Aortic stenosis (or AS) is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening. Learn how it affects the heart valve and what you can do about it.
- 41. Options for Heart Valve Replacement Learn about the different types of heart valve replacement - most commonly the aortic valve and mitral valves.
- 42. About Heart Valves New to managing your heart valve condition? The American Heart Association encourages you to learn about how your heart works and how each of the valves function. When you understand the specifics of what your doctor or healthcare team is trying to evaluate and accomplish through treatment, you?ll be better equipped to help great decisions.
- 43. Understanding Your Heart Valve Treatment Options Recovery statistics are very good for people who receive proper treatment of their heart valve problems. Learn about the different treatment options available.
- 44. Heart Valve Problems and Causes If you?re seeking to better understand a heart valve problem, the American Heart Association can help. Learn about potential problems and causes of heart valve issues.
- 45. Getting an Accurate Heart Valve Diagnosis In order to decide the best treatment for your heart valve condition, you?ll need a careful evaluation. An accurate diagnosis helps you and your treatment team determine the risks and benefits of your treatment options.
- 46. Heart Valve Disease Risks, Signs and Symptoms The American Heart Association provides information on the signs and symptoms of heart valve disease as well as who is at risk.
- 47. Recovery and Healthy Living Goals for Heart Valve Patients Read articles for a strong recovery from heart valve treatment, download patient hand outs, and cheer yourself on as you reach your healthy living goals.
- 48. Problem: Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation Tricuspid regurgitation is leakage of blood backwards through the tricuspid valve each time the right ventricle contracts. Learn about ongoing care of this condition.
- 49. Heart Valve Disease Personal Stories Facing heart valve surgery can be a daunting task. Hear from other patients sharing their experience with heart valve surgery.
