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 mitral valve helps control the flow of blood into 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 mitral regurgitation. Other times, the valve is narrow and blood has problems moving through it at all. This is mitral stenosis. There will not be enough blood pumped through the valves when this happens, or the blood can back up and cause heart, lung, or other health problems. ‚
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 put a new valve in place of your damaged one. This is a mitral 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.
- 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
- Get lots of rest. Sleep when you are feeling tired. Avoid doing tiring activities.
- Avoid situations that can make you angry or stressed.
- Use a small pillow to put pressure on your cut site. This can make you more comfortable when you cough, laugh, or do other actions.
- Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
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 will tell you if you need to see a cardiologist or rehab specialist.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent infection
- Thin your blood
Will physical activity be limited?
- Your physical activity may be limited for a while until you heal. Talk with your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
- Avoid playing sports that could cause a traumatic injury.
What problems could happen?
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Infection
- Kidney failure
- Heart attack
- Pneumonia
- Blood clots
- Stroke
- Bleeding
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Keep a normal weight. If you are too heavy, lose weight.
- Keep blood pressure, cholesterol, and high blood sugar under control.
- 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.
- Work out often. Ask your doctor what kinds of exercises are safe and best for you.
- Avoid smoking and beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol). Your doctor can help you learn about how to stop smoking or drinking gradually.
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, very bad sore throat, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum, pain with passing urine, wound that will not heal, or pain.
- 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.
Helpful tips
- Let your dentist or doctor know you had heart valve surgery. You may need to take drugs before having dental procedures or other surgery. This may help keep you from getting infections.
- Some kinds of heart valves will make a very soft clicking noise each time your heart beats. This is normal.
- 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 when I can go back to my normal activities.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have signs of a stroke.
Where can I learn more?
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hvd/treatment.html ‚
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/ipgmedia/national/british%20heart%20foundation/assets/heartvalvedisease.pdf ‚
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. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚