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What To Know About Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Pulmonary valve stenosis can be both congenital (present at birth) or something adults develop later on in life. It can range in severity from mild to severe cases. Often, a person may not know they have the condition until years down the road.
In a substantial amount of cases, the patient is able to go through life without any major issues. In moderate cases, some medical procedures may be required. It is common to see the doctor every few months in order to monitor the success of the procedures.
In some severe cases, surgery is required, and physical activity is restricted until the patient shows signs of improvement.
Pulmonary valve stenosis (PVS) is a condition that affects the heart. The heart has the important job of maintaining proper blood flow throughout our bodies. It needs to remain strong and functioning for us to maintain good health.
The heart is a muscle that contains four chambers:
After its journey through the body, blood is pumped back into the heart. From there, it enters the right side. It goes from the right atrium into the right ventricle, then through the pulmonary valve. Then, it receives fresh oxygen from the lungs and continues through the body once more.
Picture the pulmonary valve as a one-way door. It has small flaps that allow blood to flow through it one way, with no way of getting back.
In people with pulmonary valve stenosis, the blood has a hard time making its way through the pulmonary valve. This is usually because the valve is too narrow.
The heart has its own way of dealing with this issue. Because it has to work extra hard to force blood through that small opening, it does what any other muscle might do when it gets overworked: become larger and thicker. Unfortunately, this can put a strain on heart function.
PVS isn't a disease; it's an abnormality that usually happens during the heart's development. Doctors don't know the exact cause of PVS, but it isn't caused by anything a mother did or didn't do during her pregnancy.
PVS can be present on its own or alongside other heart defects. Some known causes of PVS include:
Who is at risk of developing this condition? Most people who have it are born with it. Babies' heart valves form during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, so it's possible that this condition could be passed genetically from parent to child.
If a mother gets rubella, also known as German measles, during pregnancy, there is a higher chance the baby will develop pulmonary valve stenosis.
The illness can also occur if a baby has Noonan syndrome. Noonan syndrome is a genetic condition that is typically passed down from parent to child. It can cause short stature, unusual facial characteristics, and heart development issues.
In adults, rheumatic fever and carcinoid syndrome can put you at risk of getting pulmonary stenosis. Both these diseases can cause damage to your heart valves.
Williams syndrome is a rare disorder few babies are born with. It's characterized by certain facial features that get more pronounced with age and slow mental development. People born with Williams syndrome, also called Williams-Beuren syndrome, are at risk of developing PVS among other heart defects.
In some mild cases of valve stenosis, you might not notice symptoms at all. You may go for a routine check-up, and your doctor might find it when they listen to your heart with a stethoscope.
Symptoms of severe pulmonary valve stenosis in babies may also manifest, though, in an obvious way: They may show some blue coloration (cyanosis).
Some common symptoms of moderate pulmonary valve stenosis can include:
Sometimes, symptoms only present during exercise.
Pulmonary valve stenosis can sometimes be diagnosed before birth. A fetal echocardiogram, (also known as a fetal echo) can show pictures of what a fetus' heart looks like while they're still growing inside the mother.
If you suspect that you or your child has pulmonary stenosis, you might visit the doctor, and they will decide which tests to perform. Some of those tests can include:
Before your doctor's visit, write down any symptoms you or your child have experienced. Think of your family's health history and make note of any concerns. Also, write down any questions you have for your doctor.
If you are taking any medications or supplements, make a list and have it readily available.
If you are seeing your general practitioner or family doctor, they will likely perform a general check-up and possibly order an imaging test. Depending on the results of the test, you could be referred to a heart specialist.
If you see a specialist, you might consider gathering some information about how this condition can affect everyday life. For instance, you may ask:
The doctor will have some questions for you too. They could be related to how you or your child are experiencing the symptoms in terms of time duration or what they are doing when the symptoms appear.
In mild cases, no treatment is needed other than regular follow-ups with your doctor. If the symptoms are moderate to severe and are interfering with your quality of life, you might consider the following treatment options:
It's important to remember that although the valve may function normally after surgery, it will need to be monitored regularly, and precautions must be taken during some medical procedures.
Complications can arise whether you've had corrective treatment or not. For example, if you undergo a valve replacement, there are several safeguards you must have in place to prevent inflammation or infection of the valve.
Endocarditis is one such risk. It's a bacterial infection that settles into the lining of the heart. It can be especially threatening to someone who's had heart surgery or has a heart condition.
Most people who have had valve replacement surgery will need to take antibiotics before any dental or medical procedures in order to prevent endocarditis.
Other complications of pulmonary valve stenosis can be:
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mitral valve prolapse is a common cause of a heart murmur caused by a "leaky" heart valve. Most cases of mitral valve prolapse are not serious and only need to be monitored.
Mitral valve prolapse is associated with many other symptoms and conditions. But experts aren't sure that mitral valve prolapse is what causes them.
The mitral valve is a valve that lets blood flow from one chamber of the heart, the left atrium, to another called the left ventricle. In mitral valve prolapse, part of the mitral valve slips backward loosely into the chamber called the left atrium. This happens when the main heart muscle, called the left ventricle, squeezes during each heartbeat. Mitral valve prolapse differs from mitral valve stenosis. In mitral valve stenosis, the mitral valve is stiff and constricted.
In mitral valve prolapse, the valve slips backward due to the abnormal size of or damage to the mitral valve tissues. For most people with mitral valve prolapse, the cause is unknown.
Mitral valve prolapse can run in families. It can also be caused by conditions in which cartilage is abnormal (connective tissue disease). Nearly 8 million people in the U.S. Have mitral valve prolapse.
Most people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms. They also never experience any health problems due to mitral valve prolapse.
Chest pain is the most frequent symptom in people who have symptoms with mitral valve prolapse. The chest pain may be very bothersome and frightening, but it does not increase the risk of heart attack, death, or other heart problems.
Mitral valve prolapse is a common cause of mitral regurgitation. That's a condition in which some blood flows backward through the mitral valve with each heartbeat. Over years, moderate or severe mitral regurgitation can cause weakness of the heart muscle, known as congestive heart failure. Symptoms of congestive heart failure include:
Mitral valve prolapse has also been associated with other symptoms:
When these symptoms occur together, they are sometimes called mitral valve prolapse syndrome. However, experts don't know if mitral valve prolapse itself causes these symptoms. Since these symptoms and mitral valve prolapse are so common, they could often occur together by chance.
A doctor may suspect mitral valve prolapse after listening to someone's heart with a stethoscope. The abnormal movement of the mitral valve can make a distinct sound, called a "click." If mitral regurgitation is also present, a doctor may hear a heart murmur caused by the backward flow of blood.
A definite diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse requires an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart. A doctor can watch the abnormal valve movement on a video of the beating heart. Mitral regurgitation, if present, will also be seen with an echocardiogram.
Mitral valve prolapse causes no problems for most people, so treatment is usually not needed.
People who develop severe mitral regurgitation due to mitral valve prolapse often can benefit from surgery to repair or replace the leaky valve. For people with symptoms of congestive heart failure caused by mitral valve prolapse with mitral regurgitation, surgery is usually the best treatment.
If no mitral regurgitation is present on an echocardiogram, symptoms of mitral valve prolapse rarely pose any risk. The best treatment for each person may vary, but can include:
Beta-blockers, which are medications to slow the heart rate, may be helpful in people who have episodes of palpitations with a rapid heartbeat, known as tachycardia, with mitral valve prolapse.
Most people with mitral valve prolapse never experience health problems related to the condition. Experts recommend that people with mitral valve prolapse see a doctor on a regular basis. That way, any developing problems can be found early:
In the past, doctors recommended that people with mitral valve prolapse take antibiotics before medical or dental procedures to prevent infection of the heart valve, known as endocarditis. The American Heart Association has determined that taking antibiotics before procedures is not helpful for people with mitral valve prolapse and is no longer recommended.
6 Common Causes Of House Fires And How To Prevent Them
According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking was—by far—the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States between 2015 and 2019, resulting in nearly half of all accidental house fires.
The kitchen presents myriad flammable factors that should never be left unattended or unsupervised while cooking, especially on the stove or oven. By the time a fire occurs, it is highly dangerous and difficult to extinguish.
Greases, whether produced by food or cooking with oil, are highly flammable and can ignite even without direct contact with flames. Keeping your oven, stove and cookware clean of grease and debris buildup can prevent spontaneous combustion. If a grease fire does occur, do not try to extinguish it with water, as this could cause the hot grease to explode.
Small grease fires may be extinguished with a fast response of turning off the heat, smothering the fire with a metal lid or sprinkling baking soda or salt on the flames. Use a fire extinguisher if available, though the cleanup of chemicals will be extensive.
Portable cooking appliances that produce heat, including toasters and electric griddles, should also never be left unattended while in use. Remember to let these items cool completely before storing them away, keep them clean of crumb and grease buildup (both inside and outside the appliance) and keep them unplugged and in the off position while not in use.
Outdoor cooking with grills, barbecues, grease friers, fire pits and wood stoves can all be a source of unwanted house fires as well. Be sure to position these tools away from the side of your home and nowhere near a wooden fence or any other highly combustible materials, and never leave them unattended while they are actively producing flames or heat.
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