HEART PROBLEMS
Heart Valve Disease
In the heart, there are 4 chambers and 4 valves. 2 of these chambers are responsible for pumping blood either to the lungs or out through the aorta in the body (Ventricles). The heart valves open and close the entrances and exits of these chambers. The heart valves are extremely important for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. When they are working correctly, blood flow is always going in one direction. When one or more valves are diseased, blood can flow backwards, leading to a reduction in blood ejected around the body.
The heart valves are called Tricuspid, Pulmonary, Mitral and Aortic. The first valve of the heart is the tricuspid valve. This controls the blood flow from the right collecting chamber (right atria) to the right pumping chamber (right ventricle). It is situated at the exit of the right atria and the entrance to the right ventricle. In order for blood to be pumped up into the lungs, the tricuspid valve closes, and the next valve, the pulmonary valve opens. The only direction for the blood to flow when these valves are working correctly is forwards towards the lungs. When the blood reaches the lungs, it offloads the waste products of metabolism, such as carbon dioxide, and picks up fresh oxygen. Oxygen rich blood then returns back to the heart through the third valve, the mitral valve, into the left ventricle. When the mitral valve closes, and the blood has emptied into the left ventricle, the last valve, the aortic valve, opens and blood is ejected into the aorta.
There are 2 forms of valve disease - Valve stenosis, and Regurgitation. Stenosis stops the valve from fully opening, thereby reducing the amount of blood flow. Regurgitation allows backward flow of blood leading to an incompetent pumping mechanism. Regurgitation can be heard when using a stethoscope to listen to the heart. An extra heart sound is heard when the blood back flows. This is called a heart murmur.
Both of these disease processes result in the heart having to work harder to eject blood around the body. The net result is an increase in back pressure in the heart, causing the swelling of the ankles and shortness of breath, due to congestion and fluid overload in the lungs.