Exploring Valvular Heart Disease Treatment
Learn about the causes, types, symptoms, diagnosis, and effective treatments for Valvular Heart Disease (VHD). Explore medication options, surgical treatments, lifestyle changes, and the importance of early intervention for better heart health.
Written by Dr Sonia Bhatt
Last updated on 3rd Jul, 2025
Abnormalities in the heart’s valves cause irregular blood flow and disrupt overall circulation. This condition is called Valvular heart disease or VHD.
To make things simpler, the heart has four valves: mitral, aortic, tricuspid, and pulmonary. Each valve is responsible for pumping fresh blood and properly circulating it throughout the entire body. When they fail to function properly, it can cause irregular blood flow, which puts a lot of added strain on the heart.
This disease can be triggered by multiple reasons, such as congenital defects, untreated rheumatic fever, and even natural ageing. There can be major implications if one doesn’t notice the signs and symptoms or, worse, ignores them, leaving this condition untreated.
Here’s all you need to know about this disease and how to treat it effectively.
Types of Valvular Heart Disease
There are three types of valvular heart diseases. They are stenosis, regurgitation, and combined valvular lesions. Here’s a detailed overview of them.
Valvular stenosis: When the valve opening of the heart narrows and stiffens, it restricts blood flow. This is called valvular stenosis.
Valvular regurgitation: When a heart’s valve fails to close naturally, resulting in blood leaking backwards into the heart, it is called
valvular regurgitation. This makes the heart less efficient in pumping blood and puts a lot of stress on it over time.
Combined valvular lesions: The effects of stenosis and regurgitation on the heart at the same time result in valvular lesions. It can affect the same valve or different valves and can lead to worse complications and heart strain.
Common symptoms associated with valvular issues
Some common symptoms of valvular heart disease are:
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Swelling
Dizziness or fainting
Irregular heartbeat
Abdominal pain
Consult Top Doctors For Heart Disease
Diagnosis of Valvular Heart Disease
Some of the usual diagnostic tests that doctors will prescribe a person if they suspect valvular heart disease are:
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Echocardiogram
Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
Cardiac MRI
Chest X-ray
Cardiac catheterisation
Importance of early detection
Valvular heart disease is a manageable condition if diagnosed on time. However, it can result in severe problems if the symptoms are left untreated. Without proper treatment, a diagnosed individual’s heart health will gradually reduce, resulting in poor quality of life.
Over time, the restricted blood flow will cause multiple health problems and may even lead to heart failure altogether.
Treatment Options for Valvular Heart Disease
There are several treatment options available when it comes to valvular heart diseases, starting with medications. The following medications are prescribed by doctors to treat and manage VHD:
Antiarrhythmics
Diuretics
ACE inhibitors or ARBs
Anticoagulants
Beta-blockers
If the condition worsens, doctors typically proceed with surgery. Here are the common surgery processes followed to treat VHD:
Valvuloplasty: This surgery is performed to repair the valve flaps in the heart. It is performed when the patient suffers from mitral valve prolapse.
Valve replacement: Valve replacement is a surgical procedure to treat severe valvular heart disease when repair is not possible. It involves replacing a damaged valve with a mechanical or biological prosthetic valve to restore normal blood flow and heart function.
Medications for Valvular Heart Disease
As the first line of defence, valvular heart disease is treated with relevant medications to check if the symptoms are under control and if the defect is being curbed. Here are some of the common
Beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors
Common types of heart medications include:
ACE inhibitors: These help expand the arteries to lower blood pressure and put less strain on the heart.
Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers prevent the production of harmful substances in your body during heart failure. They are also taken to reduce heart beat and ease the stress.
Anticoagulants and other medications
Anticoagulants are prescribed to prevent embolism or, in other words, blood clots. Also known as blood thinners, some of them include Apixaban (Eliquis), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Edoxaban (Lixiana), etc.
Other medications are also prescribed to treat this disease and make living with it more manageable. The most common ones are Antiarrhythmics, which are prescribed to prevent irregular heartbeats. Some of the common ones include Disopyramide (Rhythmodan), Quinidine, Mixelitine (Teva-Mixelitine), etc.
Surgical Treatments
Surgery is the last resort for treating valvular heart disease and is often performed in cases of cardiac attacks or life-threatening situations. The most commonly conducted surgical treatments for this disease are as follows.
Open heart surgery for valve repair or replacement
Open heart surgery is conducted during severe cases. It involves repairing or replacing a damaged heart valve by performing a large chest incision (sternotomy) and placing a heart-lung machine. This machine is called a pacemaker that keeps the heart beating steadily.
Minimally invasive surgery options
Minimally invasive valve surgery involves smaller incisions with specialized tools. These options induce less trauma and require less recovery time. Techniques include:
Mini-thoracotomy
Robot-assisted surgery
Catheter-based procedures (TAVR)
The recovery time for these surgeries is faster than 2 to 4 weeks and causes minimal scarring.
Lifestyle Changes and Management
If a person has suffered from valvular heart disease recently or at any point, it is very important to make some lifestyle changes and healthier choices to maintain heart health.
Dietary recommendations for heart health
Most doctors and nutritionists will recommend eating low-sodium food for patients with this disease to reduce water retention in the body. In addition to this, avoid eating foods high in unhealthy fat and avoid alcohol.
Exercise and physical activity guidelines
Experts say that moderate exercise and stretching exercises are ideal to maintain heart health. Avoid highly strenuous exercises as they can increase heartbeat rate and add more stress to it. However, it is essential to listen to the body carefully and stop once it feels too tired to support physical activities.
Prognosis and Complications
It is important to be aware and listen to what your body tells you to avoid long-term complications. When you leave a serious disease like valvular heart disease untreated, you open many doors for many health consequences.
Long-term outcomes for patients
With treatment and proper care, living with valvular heart disease can be as normal as any healthy individual. A patient will experience:
Improved heart function and reduced symptoms
Enhanced quality of life with regular follow-ups
Prolonged life expectancy
Minimal restrictions on daily activities post-recovery
Potential complications if untreated
If not treated promptly, patients of this disease can experience:
Heart failure due to the heart overworking
Arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation increase stroke risk
Blood clots leading to stroke or pulmonary embolism
Infective endocarditis: a life-threatening infection of the heart valves
Sudden cardiac arrest in severe, advanced cases
Living with Valvular Heart Disease
Living with valvular heart disease can be made easy with a few simple steps. There is no need to worry if you are being careful, being alert about the signs, undergoing end-to-end treatment, and also maintaining a healthy life.
Regular monitoring and follow-up care
Regularly monitor your heart health. Here’s how:
Schedule routine check-ups with your cardiologist to track your heart’s condition.
Regular imaging tests like echocardiograms help assess valve function and detect changes early.
Follow prescribed treatments, including medications like anticoagulants, to manage symptoms and prevent complications.
Discuss any new or worsening symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or swelling, with your doctor promptly.
Emotional and psychological support
A chronic disease can be very challenging to live with, especially if you are dealing with it alone. Emotional and psychological support from friends and family can also significantly increase heart health. You can also consider going to counselling or therapy.
Conclusion
Valvular heart disease can be easily managed if addressed early and with the right treatment. With so many treatment options available, with the advancement of research, you have very little to worry about. Rest assured that there is a treatment plan for any type of valvular heart disease you’re suffering from, and recovery is a hundred per cent possible.
Early intervention is key to preventing serious complications stemming from this disease. Make sure you go through the list of symptoms thoroughly. Always monitor your health and recognise symptoms if they arise. Seek timely care, and go for regular follow-ups to improve your quality of life. Staying proactive and maintaining a balanced lifestyle is the key to long-term recovery.
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Dr. S B Bhattacharyya
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22 Years • MBBS, MD(General Medicine),DM (Cardiology)
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Gariaheart Clinic, Kolkata
Dr. Jayarajah Mariappan
Cardiologist
45 Years • MBBS, MD(GEN MEDICINE), DM(CARDIOLOGY)
Chennai
Sooriya Hospital, Chennai
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12 Years • MBBS, MD General Medicine, DNB Cardiology, FSCAI
Maharashtra
Surabhi Hospital, Maharashtra, Maharashtra
Dr. Sumanta Chatterjee
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12 Years • MBBS,MD General Medicine,DM Cardiology
Kolkata
HealthYou Speciality Clinic & Diagnostics., Kolkata
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Dr. Mangesh Danej
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8 Years • MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DNB (Cardiology)
Pune
Dr Danej clinic, Pune
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