Heart valves keep blood flowing through the heart in one direction. The heart has four valves: the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral and aortic valves. Heart valve disease occurs when a valve fails to work by not opening (stenosis) or closing (regurgitation) completely. 

Stenosis: A valve that does not open completely decreasing the amount of blood that can move forward. The valves can be referred to as being sticky, narrow or stiff.
Regurgitation: A valve that does not close completely causing blood to backflow.
Causes of Heart Valve Disease:

• Family history 
• Age (65+): Normal wear and tear to the valves occurs over time. Gradual buildup of calcium can harden and thicken the valves (stenosis). The valve leaflets can slowly break down (regurgitation). 
• Infection: Bacterial endocarditis is an infection of the inner layer of the heart or heart valves commonly caused by staphylococci (staph) and streptococci (strep) bacteria. 
• Cardiovascular diseases and conditions: 
  • Heart attack: Can cause scarring of the heart muscle and changes in the valves. 
  • Cardiomyopathy: An enlarged heart can stretch open a valve. 
  • Hypertension: Long-term raised blood pressure can cause heart damage. 
• Radiation: Cancer radiation therapy to the chest can damage valves and cause valve disease later in life. Certain types of chemotherapy also can cause valve damage. 
• Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups have a higher risk for specific cardiovascular diseases. For example, African Americans experience high blood pressure more frequently than other ethnic groups, putting them at a higher risk for valvular disease. 

Potential Interventions for Heart Valve Disease at CentraCare

Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic insufficiency, or aortic regurgitation, happens when the aortic valve in the heart doesn’t work properly. The valve’s leaflets don’t fully open and close, causing blood to leak backward into the heart’s lower left chamber. This leak reduces blood flow to the muscles and organs.

Aortic valve replacement requires open-heart surgery. That means the surgeon divides the breastbone to access the heart. Then, the surgeon exchanges the damaged heart valve with one made of titanium, carbon or natural tissue. The provider recommends the best type of valve based on age, medical history and preferences. After surgery, cardiac rehabilitation helps recover strength safely.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is less invasive than surgery. This procedure gives a new aortic valve without open-heart surgery. It involves a catheter — a thin, soft tube inserted into a blood vessel through a tiny incision. The tube carries an artificial valve up to the heart. There, a doctor places it over the narrowed aortic valve. The new valve lets blood flow freely through the heart. With aortic stenosis, TAVR could improve the quality of life.

Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement for Regurgitation
The mitral valve helps keep blood flowing forward from the left side to the right side of the heart. If the valve’s flaps do not close all the way, some blood can flow backward. This is called mitral regurgitation. It makes the heart work harder to pump blood. 

Mitral valve repair or replacement may be a good option for a leaky mitral valve. This treatment at CentraCare helps the valve close all the way, keeping blood flowing to the body and restoring the energy. The doctor might recommend this procedure to reduce the risk of heart failure.

My Heart Group
My Heart Support Group meets at 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at CentraCare South Point, 3001 Clearwater Rd, St. Cloud, and CentraCare - Melrose, 525 W Main St. You may also join the meeting online. Video conferencing will allow Melrose and online participants to watch the speaker presentation in St. Cloud through Microsoft Teams.

Guest Speakers

To RSVP, email HFSupportGroup@centracare.com.