What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Valve
Disease?
Major Signs and Symptoms
The main sign of heart valve disease is an unusual
heart sound called a
heart
murmur. Your doctor can hear a heart murmur with a stethoscope.
However, many people have heart murmurs without
having heart valve disease or any other heart problems. Others may have heart
murmurs due to heart valve disease, but have no other signs or symptoms.
Heart valve disease often worsens over time, so
signs and symptoms may develop years after a heart murmur is first heard. Many
people who have heart valve disease don't have any symptoms until they're
middle-aged or older.
Other common signs and symptoms of heart valve
disease relate to
heart
failure, which heart valve disease can eventually cause. These symptoms
include:
- Unusual fatigue (tiredness)
- Shortness of breath, especially when you exert
yourself or when you're lying down
- Swelling of your ankles, feet, or sometimes the
abdomen
Other Signs and Symptoms
Heart valve disease can cause chest pain that may
only happen when you exert yourself. You also may notice a fluttering, racing,
or irregular heartbeat. Some types of heart valve disease, such as aortic or
mitral valve stenosis, can cause dizziness or fainting. |