About this topic
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood through the body. The heart has four chambers which are separated by valves. The blood is pumped through the heart and body in one direction. Blood with oxygen moves away from the heart. Blood without oxygen moves toward the heart. The valves make sure that blood flows in the right direction. The aortic valve helps control the flow of blood away from the heart. ‚
Sometimes, a valve may be abnormal since birth. A valve may also become damaged with age. Blood may flow backward through a damaged valve. This is aortic regurgitation. Other times, the valve is narrow and blood has problems moving through it at all. This is aortic stenosis. If your valve is damaged, you may have chest pain or dizziness. Other times, you may have problems breathing. You may notice these signs more when you are doing heavy exercise. ‚
You may need to have surgery to replace your damaged aortic valve with a new valve. This is an aortic valve replacement. There are different ways to do this surgery and different kinds of valves to choose from. Your doctor will decide the best plan of care for you. The surgery may be done with: ‚
- Bigger cuts through the chest to get to the valve. This is open heart surgery.
- Smaller cuts between the ribs to get to the valve. This is minimally-invasive heart surgery.
Your doctor may replace your damaged heart valve with one made of: ‚
- Plastic, carbon, or metal. These are strong and built to last a long time. Blood tends to stick to the material of these valves. You need to take a blood thinning drug for life after the procedure. This is a mechanical valve.
- Animal or human tissue. They are not as strong as mechanical valves. You may need a replacement after 10 years or so. Blood clotting is not common and blood thinning drugs are not needed. This is a biological valve.
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Be sure to take all the drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Wash your hands before and after touching or cleaning your wound.
- Get lots of rest. Sleep when you are feeling tired. Avoid doing tiring activities.
- Use a small pillow to put pressure on your cut site. This can make you more comfortable when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or do other actions.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Your doctor may have you see a cardiologist or rehab specialist.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Fight an infection
- Lower risk of blood clots
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activities for a while. Ask your doctor what kinds of exercises are best and safe for you. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
Eat a heart healthy diet. Eat foods low in fats, sugars, and salt. Eat high-fiber foods which include fruits and vegetables. Your doctor can help you make a plan about the changes in your diet. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Infection
- Kidney failure
- Heart attack
- Blood clots
- Stroke
- Bleeding
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if you have: ‚
- Signs of heart attack:
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fast heartbeat
- Feeling dizzy
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Call your doctor if you have: ‚
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; chills; redness, swelling, very bad sore throat, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum, pain with passing urine, burning, urgency, and blood in the urine.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Any signs including pain, upset stomach, or throwing up that does not go away even with drugs you are taking
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Helpful tips
- Let your dentist know you had heart valve surgery. You may need to take drugs before having dental procedures. This may help keep you from getting a heart infection.
- Some kinds of heart valves will make a very soft clicking noise each time your heart beats.
- The staff at the hospital will give you a card that tells about the kind of valve that you have. Carry the card with you in your wallet.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure and what kind of valve I have.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have signs of a heart attack or stroke.
Where can I learn more?
American Heart Association ‚
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/HeartValveProblemsandDisease/Heart-Valve-Problems-and-Disease_UCM_450280_SubHomePage.jsp ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Aorticvalvereplacement/Pages/Whatisitpage.aspx ‚
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons ‚
http://www.sts.org/patient-information/valve-repair/replacement-surgery/aortic-valve ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚