Valvular heart disease is a disease that many people are unfamiliar with, but it has a high incidence rate, and if you often experience symptoms of palpitation, shortness of breath after activity, and constant coughing at night, it is necessary to check your heart.
Valves are small but very important parts of the heart. Their main function is to ensure that blood flows in the same direction. Normally, the valve opens and closes quickly, making a "click, click" sound. There are four valves in the human heart: the tricuspid valve, the mitral valve, the pulmonary valve, and the aortic valve. Once they occur, they can restrict blood flow to the front or regurgitate because the valves do not close tightly, affecting the heart's ability to pump blood and nutrients to the rest of the body.
Some people have congenital valvular lesions, and usually these defects can be corrected surgically; Others are born with normal valves, but later on, the valves become damaged for a variety of reasons, such as infection (endocarditis) or systemic illness (rheumatic fever). Other diseases including myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy, aortic aneurysm, and hypertension can cause valvular disease.
With valvular disease, people experience palpitation and shortness of breath after activityWhen sleeping, you can't lie down, you need a high pillow or semi-recumbent position, you need to cough continuously at night, and cough up white sticky sputum, even coughing up blood, and dry mouth. As the disease progresses, there will be a lack of urine, poor appetite, liver enlargement, ascites, and edema of the lower feet.
At this point, your doctor will recommend that you do some testsFor example, chest x-ray and cardiac ultrasound are done to check the condition of the valvular lesion and the size of each heart chamber. If the lesion is severe enough to a certain extent, you will be advised to have valve surgery, which is a common procedure. In general, valvular disease includes medical, interventional, and surgical, depending on the patient's condition.
Of course, the aftermath of surgery is not once and for all, except for taking medication as prescribedSuch as Huafa forest, digoxin, furosemide and spironolactone. Some need to be taken for life, such as Huafa Lin after mechanical valve surgerySome can be stopped after cardiac function is restored, and regular outpatient follow-up is required to monitor and adjust the dosage of the drug.
Exercise and diet can help restore the heart. Strength and energy will improve with a gradual increase in physical activity, including aerobic exercises such as walking, swimming, cycling, and aerobics. At the same time, the intake of saturated fatty acids and fats should be limited. After surgery, always be vigilant about changes in your body. If you notice sudden weight gain, or swelling at your ankles, or shortness of breath, you should seek medical attention right away.