Cardiac Valve Diseases and Treatments

Cardiac valve diseases occur when one or more of the heart's four valves fails to open or close properly, either narrowing to restrict blood flow—as in aortic stenosis—or leaking in reverse, as in mitral regurgitation. Both conditions force the heart to work harder over time, eventually leading to heart failure or death if left untreated, which is why accurate diagnosis through echocardiography and timely intervention are central concerns. Over the past two decades, transcatheter aortic-valve replacement has transformed care by offering a less invasive alternative to open surgery, extending treatment to patients once considered too high-risk for an operation. Active research continues to refine which patients benefit most from each approach, how to evaluate the long-term durability of prosthetic valves, and how best to time intervention in patients with moderate or asymptomatic disease before irreversible cardiac damage sets in.

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Keywords

Transcatheter Aortic-Valve ReplacementSurgical Aortic-Valve ReplacementValvular RegurgitationEchocardiography GuidelinesAortic StenosisMitral Regurgitation