Heart valves are barriers, described as "doors" by the Texas Heart Institute (see Resources) that control how the blood flows through the heart, and ultimately throughout the body. When one of the four heart valves becomes diseased or damaged, you are at risk for more serious heart problems because your body must work too hard to get the blood flowing. There are several causes of heart valve disease that can be treated through medications and corrective surgery.
Infection
Heart valve disease can be caused by certain types of infection. Older people who had rheumatic fever before antibiotics were used to treat the disease may have sustained heart valve damage. Infection of the valves themselves and the walls of the heart can cause heart valve disease.
Congenital Causes
Some people have heart valve disease simply due to how they were born. Congenital defects of the heart include a mitral valve that is narrower than usual, or a misshapen aortic valve.
Tissue Degeneration
Older people may have valve dysfunction due to a degeneration of the tissue of the mitral valve. This condition is called myxomatous degeneration.
Thickening
A thickening of the valve itself, most often in the aortic and mitral valves, can lead to valve disease. This is another cause that is more commonly seen in the elderly.
Heart Disease
You can develop heart valve disease if you have had other types of heart problems, including coronary artery disease or a heart attack.
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