Progressive heart defect. Heart disease - symptoms of congenital and acquired, treatment methods. Combined metro-aortic defect
Heart disease is a pathology of a congenital or acquired nature, which is based on a disruption of the mechanism of the heart valves and cardiac circulation.
The most commonly affected valves are the aortic or mitral valves, which connect the aorta and pulmonary artery.
Causes
If the heart defect is congenital, then its causes are most often disturbances in the intrauterine formation of the fetus or a genetically inherent predisposition to this disease.
- All information on the site is for informational purposes only and is NOT a guide to action!
- Can give you an ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS only DOCTOR!
- We kindly ask you NOT to self-medicate, but make an appointment with a specialist!
- Health to you and your loved ones!
There are many more causes of acquired heart disease; most of them could be eliminated or their consequences could be reduced with careful attention to one’s health.
Causes of heart defects acquired during life:
- tendency to alcoholism, drug addiction, intense exposure to nicotine (smoking);
- chronic pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
- arthritis, rheumatism, history of hepatitis;
- complications of viral diseases such as influenza, rubella, human papillomavirus (HPV);
- consequences of certain dermatological diseases;
- consequences of sexually transmitted diseases: syphilis, gonorrhea;
- traumatic damage to the neck, head, spine, heart muscle.
Unfortunately, heart disease cannot be treated with therapeutic methods; complete cure can only be achieved after surgery. However, it is possible to prevent the development of this disease and significantly reduce the likelihood of complications if you do not self-medicate, but take effective measures under the guidance of a cardiologist.
Of great importance is the elimination of bad habits and severe physical activity, timely treatment chronic diseases, physical therapy classes.
You should immediately consult a doctor if symptoms such as:
- fast fatiguability;
- dyspnea;
- pain in the heart and interscapular region;
- swelling in the legs and arms;
- insomnia.
If heart defects are not treated, this pathology is aggravated by severe complications, most of which significantly reduce the quality of life and can lead to death.
Why is heart disease dangerous in adults?
- angina pectoris;
- pulmonary edema;
- (tachycardia, ).
Kinds
Heart disease in an adult has two types: and. Each of them has its own specifics and development forecast.
Congenital
This form of heart defect occurs when early stages intrauterine development fetus – 2-8 weeks of pregnancy. It occurs due to a disturbed structure of the fetal circulatory organs due to a physiological defect.
It is not always possible to diagnose congenital heart disease in a newborn in the prenatal period. From the moment of birth to the appearance of the first signs of the disease, a fairly long period of time can pass.
If diagnosis and treatment were untimely, then by the time the congenital heart defect can be recognized, the course of the disease has progressed so much that the manifestations of the disease lead to serious consequences. Most often, congenital heart defects occur in the aortic valve.
Pathology of the aortic valve is in third place in terms of frequency of occurrence among all cases of defects and is diagnosed in 2% of the adult population.
The essence of this form of the disease is that two of the three leaflets of the aortic valve grow together. At first, this defect has almost no effect on the functionality of the heart. However, over time it progresses as the wear of the valves increases.
Aortic valve disease is diagnosed using cardiac ultrasound, which informatively determines the degree to which the valve has lost its functions.
Other types of congenital heart defects:
- anomaly of organ location;
- (triad and).
According to the degree of their influence on the pulmonary circulation, heart defects are divided into groups:
- defects that do not change pulmonary blood flow;
- defects that create hypovolemia (decrease in volume) of pulmonary blood flow;
defects that create hypervolemia (increase in volume) of pulmonary blood flow; - combined defects with concomitant disorders of the heart and cardiac vessels.
Acquired
More than half of acquired heart defects in adults are caused by destruction of the mitral valve. The essence of the mitral valve defect is that it has suffered from exposure to waste products of bacteria during infectious infection. The body starts the process of tissue regeneration in order to restore the mitral valve.
Its walls undergo sclerotic changes, merging in lateral sections. Mitral valve stenosis occurs. The result of stenosis is the accumulation of blood in the left atrium, stretching its walls and increasing pressure. The consequences of such transformations can be the formation of a large number of blood clots.
Mitral valve stenosis leads to the fact that part of the blood does not enter the circulation, but returns to the left atrium. A decrease in blood volume leads to health complications - shortness of breath, fatigue, and intolerance to the slightest physical exertion.
Other types of acquired heart defects:
Diagnostics
At the beginning of the examination of a patient suspected of having a heart defect, the cardiologist examines the medical history in order to determine possible reasons formation of defects.
Additionally, data on well-being and exercise tolerance are collected. The doctor visually checks for swelling, shortness of breath, cyanosis skin, by palpation determines the pulsation of peripheral veins and the size of the liver.
The percussion method is used to determine the boundaries of the heart if its hypertrophy is suspected, and careful listening to heart sounds and noises is carried out to determine the type of defect.
Additional diagnostic methods:
| ECG with daily monitoring | Diagnosed heartbeat, arrhythmia, presence or absence of ischemic lesions, type of blockade. If aortic insufficiency is suspected, a stress ECG is performed accompanied by a cardiologist-resuscitator due to the unsafety of this method. |
| Phonocardiography | Structural defects of the heart valves and other cardiac disorders are diagnosed. |
| X-ray of the heart | Myocardial hypertrophy is diagnosed, and the type of defect is specified. This examination is performed in 4 projections, while the esophagus is contrasted to determine the Kerley line (diagnosis of pulmonary congestion). |
| Echocardiography, MSCT, cardiac MRI | The characteristics of the defect are diagnosed: the size and condition of the affected valve and chordae, the severity of the deformity, the area of the atrioventicular orifice, cardiac ejection fraction, pulmonary trunk pressure. |
In addition to hardware diagnostics, laboratory tests are carried out:
- general blood analysis,
- general urine analysis,
- rheumatoid tests,
- blood sugar test,
- cholesterol test.
Such an examination, if necessary, is duplicated during medical examination of a patient with heart defects.
Congenital and acquired heart defects require careful attention, careful diagnosis and compliance with the recommendations of a cardiologist
Treatment
The cardiologist will analyze the diagnostic results, symptoms and treatment will be prescribed in accordance with the data received. Conservative methods are used to prevent complications, correct heart failure, arrhythmia, tachycardia, and prevent relapses of the disease that caused valve disease.
The leading role in the treatment of heart defects belongs to surgical treatment methods.
Types of surgical operations:
If surgical treatment is not carried out, decompensation develops, the lesion progresses, which leads to complications, the development of heart failure and, in especially severe cases, death.
Prevention
To prevent acquired heart disease, you should give up bad habits, streamline your work and rest schedule, strengthen your body, and engage in accessible sports and physical education. Sepsis, rheumatism, sexually transmitted and infectious diseases must be carefully treated, avoiding complications.
If the defect has already formed, you can extend the period until the onset of heart failure, and even prevent its onset by the following measures:
- diet with limited salt intake;
- introduction of complete proteins into the diet;
- rejection of drastic climate change;
- introduction of walking and therapeutic exercises into the daily routine;
- prohibition on intense training.
Be sure to undergo regular examination by a cardiologist and carefully follow his recommendations.
Diet for heart disease in adults
Dietary nutrition for cardiac pathologies performs several functions: relief of inflammation and allergic manifestations, provision of the heart with material for replenishing energy and tissue regeneration. At the core therapeutic nutrition lies the cardiographic diet.
Its features:
- frequent meals in small portions;
- satisfying ¼ of the body's protein needs from the protein of dairy products;
- meeting a third of the body's need for fats by introducing it into the diet vegetable oils, improving cardiac energy;
- excluding large amounts of fiber from the menu to avoid bloating, which impedes cardiac activity;
- increasing the proportion of foods rich in calcium and microelements in the diet (introducing fruits, vegetables, buckwheat, pearl barley, and rolled oats into the diet);
- limiting salt and foods containing it in large quantities (canned food, marinades, caviar, salted fish).
The heart is one of the most important organs of our body. This is a unit that works without rest for decades. It has fantastic reliability and perfection. At the same time, its design is quite simple. However, the heart, like any mechanism, can also have defects. In medicine, such defects are usually called heart defects.
What is a heart defect?
This heart pathology leads to disturbances in cardiac hemodynamics, expressed in overload of some parts of the heart, which, in turn, leads to heart failure, changes in systemic hemodynamics and a lack of oxygen in the tissues.
To understand what a heart defect is, it is necessary to make a brief overview of its structure. The heart consists of four chambers - two atria and two ventricles. On the right and left sides of the heart there is an atrium and a ventricle. Venous blood enters the right side of the heart, which then goes to the lungs, where it is saturated with oxygen. From the lungs it returns to the left side of the myocardium, from where it enters the artery adjacent to the heart - the aorta. Between the atria and ventricles, as well as between the arteries and ventricles, there are valves whose purpose is to prevent the reverse flow of blood during myocardial contractions. The valve between the left chambers of the heart is called the mitral (bicuspid), and the valve between the right chambers is called the tricuspid (tricuspid). The valve between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery is called the pulmonary valve, and the valve between the aorta and the left ventricle is called the aortic (lunar) valve. Also, the right and left parts of the heart are separated from each other by muscular partitions.
Such a system guarantees the efficiency of blood circulation, as well as the absence of mixing of venous blood with arterial blood. However, the barriers inside the heart are not always reliable. Most heart defects are associated with malfunctioning valves, as well as defects in the septum separating the right and left parts of the organ. The most common defects are the mitral valve, located between the left ventricle and the left atrium.
Heart defects are divided into two large groups - congenital and acquired. As the name suggests, congenital defects are present in a person from birth. Congenital heart defects occur in 1 newborn out of 100. Of all congenital anomalies, heart defects rank second after defects of the nervous system.
Acquired heart defects appear during a person’s life, due to illness, and less often due to heart injuries.
In general, cardiac muscle defects account for approximately a quarter of all heart-related pathologies.
If we take all types of defects, the most common anomalies are those associated with the valves. In this case, the valve flaps may not close completely or not fully open. In both cases, hemodynamics are impaired.
Congenital pathologies
The development of the fetal heart occurs in the middle of pregnancy and this process can be negatively affected by many circumstances. The cause of heart defects in newborns can be both genetic abnormalities and disturbances in the normal development of the fetus as a result of exposure to external factors:
- toxic substances;
- deviations during pregnancy;
- maternal smoking or drinking;
- uncontrolled use by the mother medicines;
- radiation;
- lack of vitamins or, conversely, vitamin poisoning;
- viral infections suffered by the mother, for example, rubella.
Substances that are mutagenic and affect the likelihood of developing heart defects in a child include:
- NSAIDs,
- phenols,
- nitrates,
- benzopyrene
Often the cause of the disease is both factors - genetic and external.
Factors contributing to the development of heart defects in the fetus: chronic maternal diseases (diabetes mellitus, phenylketonuria, autoimmune diseases), a large number of abortions in history. Also, as the age of the parents increases, the likelihood of abnormalities in the development of the fetus’s heart also increases.
The incidence of certain birth defects varies by gender. Some congenital heart defects are more common in boys, others in girls, and others occur in both sexes with approximately equal frequency.
Predominantly female congenital pathologies include:
- Fallot's triad,
- atrial septal defect,
- patent ductus arteriosus,
Predominantly male congenital heart disease:
- common arterial trunk,
- coarctation or stenosis of the aorta,
- tetralogy of Fallot,
- transposition of the great vessels.
The most common type of birth defect is a ventricular septal defect. However, an atrial septal defect may also occur.
Often there is such a congenital pathology as patent Botallov duct. This defect leads to the fact that arterial blood is discharged into the pulmonary circulation.
Classification
Pathologies are divided into simple and combined. With combined defects, damage to several parts of the myocardium and adjacent great vessels is observed. Examples of combined congenital defects are tetralogy of Fallot or pentad of Cantrell.
Cardiac anomalies can be compensated - if the body adapts to the limited functionality of the heart and decompensated, when the disease manifests itself in insufficient blood supply to the tissues.
Heart defects are also divided into those in which mixing of arterial and venous blood occurs, and those in which this phenomenon is absent. Defects of the first group are called white, the second - blue.
White anomalies, in turn, are divided into:
- enriching the pulmonary circulation,
- depleting the pulmonary circulation,
- depleting the systemic circulation,
- not significantly changing systemic hemodynamics.
Blue defects are divided into depleting and enriching pulmonary circulation.
White defects include:
- defects of the interatrial and interventricular septa,
- patent ductus arteriosus,
- coarctation of the aorta,
- heart dispositions (heart position on the right, in abdominal cavity, in the neck area, etc.),
- aortic stenosis.
White abnormalities are given this name because patients suffering from them usually have a characteristic pale skin.
Blue defects include tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great vessels, Ebstein's anomaly and some others. With these defects, the heart releases blood into the systemic circulation that is not sufficiently saturated with oxygen. Blue defects are given this name because they lead to cyanosis, in which the patient's skin takes on a bluish color.
The following types of defects are also distinguished:
- hypoplasia – insufficient development of certain parts of the heart,
- obstruction defects (valvular and aortic stenoses),
- septal defects.
Diagnostics
It is difficult to overestimate the role of timely diagnosis in the treatment of the disease. Initially, the doctor examines the medical history of the disease - the patient’s lifestyle, the presence of relatives with heart defects, and the patient’s past infectious diseases.
For diagnostics the following are used:
- EchoCG,
- daily ECG monitoring,
- dopplerography,
- phonocardiography,
- plain radiography of the heart,
- angiography,
- CT scan,
There are a number of signs that can help your doctor determine if you have a heart defect by listening to heart murmurs. For this purpose, methods of palpation, percussion, and auscultation (listening to heart sounds using a stethoscope or phonendoscope) are used. Even a simple examination can reveal such characteristic signs of defects as swelling of the limbs, blue discoloration of the fingers or face.
Blood tests (general and biochemical) and urine tests are also performed. They help identify signs of inflammation and determine how much the blood is clogged with “bad” cholesterol - low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides.
The most important diagnostic method is ECG. A cardiogram allows you to identify changes in the heart rhythm, its electrical conductivity, determine the type of arrhythmia, and detect manifestations of insufficient oxygen supply to the myocardium.
During phonocardiography, murmurs and heart sounds are recorded, including those that the doctor cannot detect by ear.
Echocardiography is an ultrasound of the heart. This method allows you to determine the type of heart defect, assess the thickness of the myocardial walls, the size of the chambers, the condition of the valves and their sizes, and blood flow parameters.
For example, the main manifestations of mitral stenosis on Echo-CG:
- thickening of the myocardial walls,
- left atrial hypertrophy,
- multidirectional blood flow,
- increase in pressure inside the atrium.
With aortic stenosis, left ventricular hypertrophy is observed, a decrease in the amount of blood entering the aorta.
Angiocardiography is an x-ray method in which a contrast agent is injected into the vessels of the heart and lungs. Using this method, you can determine the size of the myocardium and its chambers and diagnose pathological changes.
If we are talking about congenital pathologies, then some of them are detected at the stage of intrauterine development. After birth, the child also undergoes medical examinations - in the first month of life, and at the age of one year. Unfortunately, many pathologies remain undetected until the onset of adolescence. They often make themselves felt after severe respiratory illnesses
How does heart disease manifest?
The set of symptoms for each type of heart defect may be different. However, we can identify some general manifestations that are characteristic of most defects:
- dyspnea,
- presence of symptoms of blood supply deficiency,
- heart pain or a feeling of heaviness in the chest,
- fainting (especially often when changing body position),
- dizziness,
- headache,
- weakness,
- fast fatiguability,
- arrhythmias,
- respiratory disorders,
- cyanosis and acrocyanosis (blueness of the fingertips),
- bright red cheeks,
- swelling lower limbs,
- ascites,
- variability of body temperature,
- nausea.
At first, the presence of symptoms such as shortness of breath, weakness, chest pain is observed only during physical activity. However, as the disease progresses, they can also occur at rest.
During auscultation, characteristic noises are heard in all types of valve defects.
Children with congenital defects experience:
- low immunity, resulting in frequent respiratory infections;
- insufficient development of limbs and muscles;
- short stature;
- poor appetite.
Symptoms of mitral regurgitation
An acquired pathology such as mitral valve insufficiency may not manifest any symptoms in the initial stage. However, as the disease progresses, the following appear:
- pain in the right hypochondrium due to liver enlargement,
- ischemic type heart pain,
- acrocyanosis,
- dry cough,
- swelling of the neck veins,
- heartbeat,
- dyspnea,
- swelling.
Symptoms of mitral stenosis
Symptoms that appear with mitral valve stenosis:
- dyspnea,
- cough,
- heartbeat,
- heartache,
- weakness,
- increased fatigue,
- hemoptysis,
- cyanosis of the lips and tip of the nose,
- decrease in blood pressure,
- difference in pulse on the right and left hands (the pulse on the left is weaker).
Possible development of atrial fibrillation.
Symptoms of aortic stenosis
Aortic stenosis in the first stages may be asymptomatic. The main symptoms of aortic stenosis are chest pain during exercise, dizziness, fainting, and headaches.
Shortness of breath, increased fatigue, swelling of the lower extremities, pain in the right hypochondrium, pallor of the skin, acrocyanosis, swelling of the neck veins, and decreased systolic blood pressure may also appear.
Symptoms of aortic insufficiency
Aortic insufficiency can be asymptomatic for a long time, compensated by increased contractions of the left ventricle.
It can be expressed in the following phenomena:
- heartbeat,
- ischemic type heart pain,
- dizziness,
- fainting,
- dyspnea,
- swelling,
- pain in the right hypochondrium,
- pale skin,
- increase in systolic blood pressure and decrease in diastolic blood pressure.
Symptoms of tricuspid insufficiency
Symptoms of tricuspid valve insufficiency:
- swelling,
- ascites,
- hepatomegaly,
- bluishness of the skin,
- pulsation of the neck veins,
- decrease in blood pressure.
Damage to the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract is also possible. Atrial fibrillation may develop.
Acquired heart defects
The main cause of acquired heart defects is rheumatism. It is responsible for more than half of all acquired vices.
Rheumatism is an autoimmune disease, the development of which occurs due to streptococcal infection. This infection causes an immune response, and lymphocytes begin to attack the connective tissue cells of the human body itself. Myocardial tissue also falls into this category. As a result, myocarditis or endocarditis may develop. These diseases lead to most cases of acquired heart defects.
Other causes of acquired heart defects:
- syphilis and other bacterial infections leading to endocarditis;
- atherosclerosis;
- myocardial injury;
- connective tissue diseases.
Usually acquired defects affect the valves. Depending on the valve affected by the disease, mitral, aortic and tricuspid valves are distinguished. There are also anomalies affecting two or three valves.
Mitral valve disease is the most common (more than half of all acquired heart defects), and aortic valve disease is observed in 20% of cases. Pathologies associated with the right valves are rare.
Simple types of valve defects include stenosis, insufficiency, and prolapse (prolapse).
Normally, the valve leaflets should close completely during systole and then open completely during diastole without interfering with blood flow. If the valve does not open enough, a certain amount of blood accumulates in front of it. Blood stagnation develops. If the valves do not close completely, then a reverse flow of blood occurs. And the heart has to make double efforts to push the blood in the right direction.
With stenosis, narrowing of the valve leaflets is observed. This condition is caused by fusion, flattening and thickening of the valves. There may be a narrowing of the valve ring as a result of inflammation. With prolonged development of the defect, the valves may become covered with limescale.
In case of insufficiency, on the contrary, the valve leaflets do not close completely during systole. The condition is usually caused by the development of connective tissue in the valves, their wrinkling and shortening. Also, failure often results from disruption of the muscles that control the closure of the valves. Aortic valve insufficiency is often the result of damage to the walls of the aorta and their expansion.
With prolapse (prolapse), protrusion of the valve leaflets is observed.
One valve may exhibit both stenosis and insufficiency. This defect is called combined. Most often, combined damage to the mitral valve is observed. In this case, usually some pathology (valve insufficiency or stenosis) predominates. Also, defects can be detected on several valves at once.
Stages of valve defects
| Stage | Mitral valve stenosis | mitral valve insufficiency | Aortic valve stenosis | aortic valve insufficiency |
| I | compensation | compensation | full compensation | full compensation |
| II | development of pulmonary congestion | subcompensation | development of hidden heart failure | |
| III | development of right ventricular failure | right ventricular decompensation | development of relative coronary insufficiency | subcompensation |
| IV | dystrophic processes in the heart | severe left ventricular failure | decompensation | |
| V | terminal | terminal | terminal | terminal |
Is it deadly?
This question can only be answered for each specific case.
Of course, in some cases of congenital or acquired defects, medicine is not able to help the patient. However, often a person lives with the disease for decades and does not even know it. Sometimes only surgery can help, and sometimes conservative treatment will be sufficient.
According to severity, myocardial defects are divided into those that do not have a serious effect on hemodynamics, defects of moderate severity and pronounced ones.
The presence of most defects is grounds for disability.
The consequences of vices can be:
- heart failure,
- bacterial endocarditis,
- chronic,
- pulmonary failure,
- myocardial infarction,
- dyspnea,
- cyanosis,
- rhythm disturbances,
- thromboembolism.
Many of these complications can lead to death.
In addition, almost any myocardial defect, even compensated, leads to the heart wearing out prematurely, and therefore to a reduction in life expectancy. If surgery is performed in a timely manner and the patient has successfully completed the rehabilitation course, then the likelihood of serious complications is reduced.
Treatment
In most cases, heart disease can only be radically cured by surgery. If pathology is detected in a newborn, then, if possible, surgery is performed to eliminate the defect. If it is detected in an adult, then the indications for surgery largely depend on the patient’s condition. Circumstances such as the presence or absence of decompensation are taken into account, the risks to life associated with the operation are assessed, etc.
For valve dysfunction in cases where it is impossible to restore their function, treatment consists of prosthetic surgery. Surgeries to widen the valve (for stenosis) or narrow it (for insufficiency) are also possible. The first operation is called valvotomy, the second is valvuloplasty. Heart operations are performed using artificial blood circulation systems. After surgical treatment, the patient undergoes a rehabilitation course and is under medical supervision.
Treatment also includes the use of antiarrhythmic and heart support medications. Medicines help stabilize the patient’s condition, prevent the development of CHF and other complications. Medicines can also be taken to combat inflammatory processes in the myocardium.
The main classes of drugs used in the treatment of acquired heart defects:
- anticoagulants;
- beta blockers;
- ACE inhibitors;
- diuretics;
- antiarrhythmic drugs;
- glycosides;
- potassium and magnesium preparations, vitamin complexes;
- antibiotics (to treat bacterial infections that cause endocarditis).
An important role in the treatment of the defect is played by the regulation of physical activity. High physical activity and stress are contraindicated for patients. Your doctor may prescribe a diet and physiotherapy. Patients are recommended to take regular walks and monitor blood cholesterol levels.
Prevention
The main causes of defects are rheumatism, infections, myocardial diseases and of cardio-vascular system. Therefore, prevention consists mainly of fighting infections and taking care of your health. It is also important to give up bad habits, proper nutrition and compliance with a rational work and rest regime.
Heart disease is a disease of the heart valves in which the organ begins to malfunction. As a result of congenital or acquired changes in the structure of the valve apparatus, cardiac septa, walls, or large vessels extending from the heart, a disturbance in the blood flow of the heart occurs. Congenital heart defects are distinguished by a variety of anomalies in the development of the heart and blood vessels and usually appear in childhood. Acquired defects form at different age periods due to heart damage due to rheumatism and some other diseases.
What is the difference between a congenital heart defect and an acquired one?
Congenital heart defect
Congenital heart disease is detected in approximately 1% of newborns. The cause of the disease is improper development of the organ inside the womb. Congenital heart disease affects the walls of the myocardium and large adjacent vessels. The disease may progress. If surgery is not performed, the child may develop changes in the structure of the heart, which in some cases can lead to death. With timely surgical intervention, complete restoration of heart function is possible.
Prerequisites for the development of congenital heart disease:
- impaired fetal development under the influence of pathogenic factors in the first months of pregnancy (radiation, viral infections, vitamin deficiency, uncontrolled use of medications, including some vitamins);
- parental smoking;
- alcohol consumption by parents.
Acquired heart defect
Acquired heart disease does not occur immediately after birth, but over time. It manifests itself in the form of malfunction of the heart valve apparatus (narrowing of the walls or insufficiency of the heart valves).
Surgical treatment consists of replacing the heart valve with a prosthesis.
If damage to two or more orifices of the heart or valves is detected simultaneously, they speak of a combined acquired defect. To prescribe surgery for an acquired defect, it is classified according to the degree of anatomical changes and disorders.
Causes of acquired heart disease:
Treatment of heart defects
People with heart defects require comprehensive treatment:
- organization of a physical activity regime;
- drug therapy for heart failure and other complications;
- diet;
- physiotherapy.
Surgical treatment is the most effective. Surgical correction is used for both acquired and congenital defects, and operations are increasingly performed on newborns and children from the first year of life.
The acquired defect requires surgical treatment in cases where therapeutic treatment is ineffective and ordinary physical activity causes fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations, and angina in patients. Surgeries for acquired defects are performed with the aim of preserving the patient’s own heart valves and restoring their function, including through valvuloplasty (suturing the valves, using animal heart valves, etc.). If valve-sparing surgery is not possible, valves are replaced with mechanical or biological prostheses.
How is heart surgery performed?
Most heart surgeries are performed under artificial circulation. After operations, patients require long-term rehabilitation with a gradual restoration of their physical activity. The deterioration of the operated patient's condition may be associated with the development of complications caused by surgery, so patients should undergo periodic examinations in cardiology centers. With an uncomplicated course of the postoperative period, many patients can return to work 6-12 months after surgery.
* Heart valve - a part of the heart formed by the folds of its inner membrane, ensures unidirectional blood flow.
** Myocardium is the middle muscular layer of the heart, constituting the bulk of its mass.
*** Heart valve insufficiency is a type of heart defect in which, due to incomplete closure of the valve, due to its damage, part of the blood flows back to the parts of the heart from which it came.
**** Myocardial infarction is an acute form of coronary heart disease.
Heart disease is an abnormality in the development or functioning of the heart muscle, blood vessels, valves or septa. Normal blood circulation is disrupted and heart failure develops.
Without timely treatment, such pathologies can lead to death. Therefore, it is important to notice the symptoms of heart disease early.
The signs of this pathology depend on the type of disease and its stage. There are congenital and acquired heart defects. Their symptoms are slightly different, although there are common signs.
- All information on the site is for informational purposes only and is NOT a guide to action!
- Can give you an ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS only DOCTOR!
- We kindly ask you NOT to self-medicate, but make an appointment with a specialist!
- Health to you and your loved ones!
Clinical manifestations of congenital pathologies are less pronounced, and sometimes they are asymptomatic. Acquired heart disease has more specific symptoms.
Manifestation in children
This pathology occurs at the stage of intrauterine development due to improper formation of organs. Nowadays, more and more children are born with heart defects. In many cases, the pathology is diagnosed immediately after birth.
External signs of defects are heart murmurs, difficulty breathing and pale or bluish skin on the lips and limbs. These are general symptoms; other clinical manifestations of the pathology are associated with its location.
Common congenital heart defects include:
- mitral or aortic valve stenosis;
- pathology of the development of the interatrial or interventricular septum;
- abnormalities in the development and functioning of heart vessels;
- The most dangerous congenital defect is tetralogy of Fallot, which combines several serious pathologies.
All these developmental anomalies are dangerous to the life and health of the child, as they lead to circulatory problems. Heart failure and oxygen starvation develop.
| Children with heart defects experience the following symptoms: |
Usually the defect is diagnosed in the first three years of a child’s life, and treatment is carried out on time. But the pathology has an impact on the patient’s entire future life. |
| The most common symptoms of heart disease in teenagers: |
|
Most clinical manifestations are observed with combined heart disease.
In some cases, it can occur almost unnoticeably and be diagnosed only in adulthood
Symptoms of heart disease by type
Most often, such pathologies are formed due to abnormalities of the aorta or mitral valve, which connects the large vessels of the heart. Heart disease can develop as a result of hypertension and other diseases.
Depending on the location of the pathology and its characteristics, various clinical manifestations are possible:
| Most often it develops after rheumatoid endocarditis. The disease changes the shape of the valve and disrupts its normal functioning. Sometimes such an anomaly develops during intrauterine development. The valve becomes funnel-shaped and blood circulation is impaired. But with timely treatment, the patient can lead a normal life. He is only concerned about the following symptoms:
In the first degree of valve damage, these symptoms are observed only during physical activity. In severe cases and with improper treatment, they are felt even at rest. Lung damage may also occur, which manifests itself as a severe cough, often with blood, and possible swelling. |
|
| If the semilunar valves that close the aorta do not close tightly, aortic heart disease occurs. This anomaly is manifested by the fact that with each contraction of the heart, blood flows back into the left ventricle. As a result, less of it enters the body than needed. Therefore, a person feels symptoms of oxygen starvation:
Due to improper functioning of the heart, a rapid pulse and shortness of breath are observed. There is a so-called Quincke's pulse at the base of the nail. But the most characteristic sign of aortic valve disease is the so-called Landolfi syndrome. It is characterized by the fact that the patient's pupils react to heartbeats. When blood is released, they narrow, and when the heart muscle relaxes, they expand. With this pathology, changes in the heart muscle quickly progress and develop. |
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| The most common abnormality of the functioning of the mitral valve. This defect can be congenital or acquired. This anomaly can be explained by pathology of the valve itself due to disturbances in intrauterine development or due to rheumatoid endocarditis. It happens that the hole that it covers turns out to be larger than the size of the valves. All this leads to blood flowing back into the left atrium. The main clinical manifestations of the pathology are similar to the symptoms of all cardiovascular diseases:
But there are also specific symptoms that are caused precisely by mitral valve insufficiency:
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| Aortic stenosis | A common congenital pathology is fusion of the aortic valves. This can also occur due to atherosclerosis or endocarditis. As a result, when the left ventricle contracts, blood cannot flow normally into the aorta. This leads to the following symptoms:
And, of course, as with all heart defects, the patient is bothered by pain in the chest. With stenosis of the aortic mouth they are paroxysmal, often very strong. |
| This is a pathology of the development of the valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Most often it occurs together with other anomalies. This defect is expressed in venous stagnation of blood, which causes the following symptoms:
Signs common to all heart defects include blue skin, shortness of breath and severe weakness. |
How to determine the acquired form of pathology
After injuries, infectious and inflammatory diseases, rheumatoid endocarditis, as well as severe course Hypertension or coronary artery disease often causes heart disease in an adult. In this case, one or more valves may be affected, narrowing of the aorta and pathology of the intracardiac septa may develop.
At the slightest suspicion of a heart defect, you should visit a doctor. Since many symptoms of valve and vascular abnormalities are similar to angina, you need to undergo an examination.
The doctor orders an electrocardiogram, cardiac x-ray, MRI and echocardiogram. Blood tests are taken to determine blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The main sign of a defect during external examination will be heart murmurs.
To start treatment on time, you need to know the symptoms of acquired heart disease:
- fatigue, fainting, headaches;
- difficulty breathing, feeling of lack of air, cough, even pulmonary edema;
- rapid heartbeat, disturbance of its rhythm and change in the location of pulsation;
- pain in the heart area - sharp or pressing;
- blue skin due to blood stagnation;
- enlargement of the carotid and subclavian arteries, swelling of the veins in the neck;
- development of hypertension;
- swelling, enlarged liver and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen.
It is very important to get checked regularly by your doctor, especially if you experience symptoms of heart failure.
Often the disease develops gradually, becoming chronic. With minor damage to one valve, the defect may not manifest itself for a long time. In this case, the patient’s well-being constantly deteriorates, and heart failure develops, noticeable at first only during physical activity.
Of the acquired heart defects, aortic pathologies are the most common. This is due to poor lifestyle and nutrition. The aortic mouth is most often affected in older people, which results in progressive heart failure. The patient experiences paroxysmal pain in the heart, shortness of breath, and weakness.
Among young people, acquired heart disease such as mitral valve pathology is more common. In this case, symptoms such as shortness of breath and palpitations during any physical activity, pulmonary insufficiency, pale skin and blue lips are observed.
It often happens that patients consult a doctor when the heart defect is already seriously manifesting itself. In the initial stages, pathologists sometimes do not pay attention to clinical manifestations.
But for a positive treatment prognosis, the disease must be identified as early as possible.
Heart disease is a disease that affects the heart valves as well as the blood circulation. The pathology can be either congenital or acquired throughout life. Acquired defects have varying degrees of danger, as well as different symptomatic manifestations. Today, congenital heart pathology is extremely rare in adults, since after birth, when this diagnosis is confirmed, surgical intervention immediately follows to eliminate the disease. However, if the defect was not noticed at an early age, then its diagnosis will occur in adulthood.
The congenital nature of the pathology is explained by a violation of intrauterine development, as well as a genetic predisposition to the disease.
Attention! There are many more root causes that explain the development of an acquired disease, and most of them can be easily prevented by taking good care of your health.
Why does an acquired defect occur?
- A person abuses various bad habits (the influence of nicotine, alcohol, drugs).
- Chronic cardiovascular diseases can also affect the formation of the defect.
- A history of hepatitis virus may develop a predisposition to the disease.
- Heart disease can develop against the background of consequences after illnesses - influenza, rubella, HPV.
- Due to damage to the body by certain dermatological diseases.
- The result of infection with sexually transmitted diseases, namely syphilis and gonorrhea.
- Consequences of atherosclerosis.
- Injury to the neck and spine, damage to the heart muscles.
It is important! All of the above factors can provoke the development of heart disease throughout life. The complexity of the pathology lies in the fact that it cannot be eliminated with the help of therapeutic effects; the only way to cure is surgery.
With respect to health and preventive measures under the supervision of a cardiologist, you can significantly reduce the risk of this cardiac pathology. It is very important not to forget about physical education, as well as to eliminate heavy physical activity and completely give up bad habits. In this case, it is extremely important to pay attention to alarming symptoms and begin timely treatment.
Symptoms in adults
The symptom complex depends on the severity and type of heart defect. For example, detection of pathology can occur immediately upon the appearance of symptoms. But sometimes the disease is not detected in a newborn child, and subsequently develops asymptomatically. Congenital pathology is characterized by the following symptoms, which can occur in both older children and adults:
- Constant shortness of breath.
- Heart murmurs are heard.
- The person often loses consciousness.
- Atypically frequent acute respiratory viral infections are observed.
- No appetite.
- Decreased growth and weight gain (a symptom typical for children).
- The appearance of such a sign as blue discoloration of certain areas (ears, nose, mouth).
- A state of constant lethargy and exhaustion.
Symptoms of congenital pathology can be divided into 4 groups.
| Syndrome | Manifestation |
|---|---|
| Cardiac | A person suffers from constant shortness of breath, notices frequent pain in the heart, rapid heartbeat, the skin is unhealthy pale, sometimes blue skin and even mucous membranes |
| Heart failure | The main manifestation of this syndrome is cyanosis and tachycardia. There is obvious shortness of breath that interferes with normal life activities |
| Chronic hypoxia | Most often it manifests itself in children in the form of developmental problems. A characteristic feature is the deformation process of the nails, as well as the phalanges of the fingers noticeably thicken |
| Respiratory | Expressed in respiratory dysfunction. The pulse becomes too slow or too fast. Protrusion of the abdomen is observed. Sometimes you may experience holding your breath, but most often your breathing is excessively rapid. |
Reference! CHD is divided into two atypical types - blue and white. In the blue form, venous and arterial blood is mixed, and in the second form, there is no mixing of blood.
Symptoms of the blue species are detected in the first years of life. The pathology makes itself felt by a sudden attack, which is characterized by shortness of breath, overexcitation, cyanosis, and sometimes fainting. Signs of the white type of pathology also appear in childhood, but a little later (after 8-9 years), it can be determined by a clear delay in development, this is especially noticeable in the lower part of the body.
Characteristics of acquired pathology
We will talk about valve defects that occur throughout life. Most often it manifests itself in the form of stenosis or heart failure. Such defects significantly impair normal blood flow. The development of an acquired anomaly occurs due to the consequences of various diseases, excessive physical stress on the heart, and expansion of the chambers of the heart. The defect can easily be triggered by an inflammatory process, autoimmune or infectious diseases.
Symptoms
The manifestations of the defect will directly depend on the severity, as well as the type of illness. Thus, the definition of symptoms will depend on the location of the lesion and the number of valves affected. In addition, the symptom complex depends on the functional form of the pathology (more about this in the table).
| Functional form of the defect | Brief description of manifestation |
|---|---|
| A characteristic sign of the defect is shortness of breath. At the initial stages, this symptom manifests itself only after physical exertion, and subsequently - at complete rest. There is a dry cough, sometimes there may be a wet cough with blood discharge. An additional symptom is hoarseness of voice. Other signs: Heartbeat noticeably increases; |
|
| Mitral regurgitation | As in the above case, shortness of breath in the initial stages is only due to exertion, and after that it is characteristic in a calm state. The symptoms are as follows: Heart pain; |
| Aortic insufficiency | Symptoms can be hidden for a long time, since the full functioning of the heart is compensated by the left cardiac ventricle. Further, increased heart pain is observed, which is extremely difficult to eliminate. The signs of this pathology are as follows: Dyspnea; |
| Aortic stenosis | The signs of this pathology remain hidden for a long time. Then characteristic symptoms appear as: Headaches; |
| Tricuspid insufficiency | As an independent pathology, it develops extremely rarely; it is most often diagnosed in combination with other types of valve defects. Symptoms are defined as follows: The pulsation of the veins in the liver area is felt; |
Special attention should be paid to combined defects. In this case, not only one, but several valves are affected. In medical practice, pathologies occur when two defects are observed in one heart valve. Thus, symptoms will manifest depending on the prevalence of the defect.