Leaky Heart Valve

The heart comprises of four chambers and also of a number of valves which work by opening and shutting repeatedly. This is done to control the flow of blood into the heart, and also through and out of the chambers of the heart.

In case where one of the valves in the heart becomes slightly leaky, the flow of the blood does not remain smooth, and when blood passes through the heart, it may do so in a more turbulent manner than usual. This result in the production of a noise each time the blood passes through the leaky valve. This noise can be heard easily with the help of a stethoscope, and is known as heart murmur. Heart murmur is one of the most common symptoms of a leaking heart valve, and is a very helpful in the diagnosis of this disease.

There are more leaking heart cases in the world than are actually diagnosed and treated. The reason behind this is that it is not always necessary that the symptoms of this condition can be detected. As a result of this, most of the cases in the mild and slightly severe stage pass undetected. There is nothing much to worry about if the leak is mild, however, in case of a severe leakage, the pressure in one or more than one chambers of the heart may get altered.

If this condition is left unattended, it may cause a strain with the passage of time. Eventually, it may lead to fatal conditions where the patient may develop symptoms of heart failure. These could include swollen ankles or feet and also breathlessness.
Many people hold the opinion that an ECG is very helpful when it comes to diagnosing leaking heart valves. ECG is the recording of the electrical activities that take place in the heart. It is beyond doubt that an ECG may suggest structural problems in a heart; however, a definite diagnosis is quite necessary. This is done with the help of an echocardiogram. The echocardiogram is actually a scan that is capable of producing pictures inside the heart. This test is recommended by doctors and cardiologists to confirm the detection of a leaking heart valve. In addition to this, the pictures can also give an idea on the severity of the situation, of how mild or severe the valve is.

With minor heart valve leaks, no treatment is necessary. The patient’s condition may remain stable throughout his or her life, and if this is the case, it is unlikely to cause any harm.