When this happens, you have mitral valve regurgitation. A small leak may not cause noticeable problems, but larger leaks force your heart to work harder to pump the right amount of blood. Over time, this can lead to serious complications, including heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms, als...
Some arrhythmias are harmless. But others can put you at a serious risk of problems such as cardiac arrest and stroke. They may also cause symptoms like dizziness and fainting. Serious arrhythmias often develop from other heart problems but may also happen on their own. You're at higher risk...
“Aortic stenosis is a ‘wear-and-tear’ disease where the valve fibroses, or scars, and calcium builds up, so it is very much related to getting older,” saysPedro Catarino, M.D., the director of aortic surgery and a professor of cardiac surgery in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars...
Heart valve problems Coronary artery disease Alcohol abuse Obesity Sleep apnea Thyroid disorders Risk Factors You Can't Control Having a family history of atrial fibrillation is a strong risk factor for you developing it as well. Your risk of getting AFib also increases with age. White males have...
Sudden Onset of “Cardiac” Symptoms, (?) Mild or Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis Involving a Congenitally Bicuspid Aortic Valve, and Nearly Normal Coronary Arteries in an Octogenariandoi:10.1111/j.1076-7460.2006.05267.xWilliam C. RobertsPaul A. Grayburn...
Genetic predisposition: A family history of cardiomyopathy, heart failure, or sudden cardiac arrest, could increase the risk of developing the condition Associated cardiac problems: The risk of dilated cardiomyopathy increases if you have other disorders, such as coronary heart disease or a history of...
Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)– TEE uses echocardiography to check for aneurysm, heart valve problems, or the presence of a tear in the lining of your aorta. Aortic disease prognosis Your prognosis with aortic disease depends on what type of aortic disease you have, how severe your conditio...
One to two percent of people are born with a bicuspid aortic valve, which has two flaps instead of three. This heart defect can lead to AS. Doctors often don't notice it in babies and growing children, so it may not cause problems until adulthood. Over time, the aortic valve may get...
Heart valve problems Obesity Physical inactivity Previous heart attack Smoking How Is Heart Failure Diagnosed? Symptoms can be helpful in diagnosing heart failure. If you have worsening shortness of breath, are unable to walk down the street, or cannot lie flat in bed without difficulty breathing,...
To compensate for the increasing resistance at the aortic valve, the muscles of the left ventricle thicken to maintain pump function and cardiac output. This muscle thickening causes a stiffer heart muscle which requires higher pressures in the left atrium and the blood vessels of the lungs to fi...