All over the world the population of elderly adults is increasing, and age is a major risk factor for heart valve disease. Heart valve disease occurs when one of the heart’s valves no longer works properly. The disease is categorized into 2 main types:

• Heart valve stenosis (narrowing of the valve)
• Heart valve regurgitation (leaky heart valve)

Patients with heart valve disease may not show signs or symptoms, or may only show mild symptoms in the early stages. If left untreated, symptoms will increasingly become more severe.

Symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Tightness in the chest
• Swollen feet and ankles
• Irregular heartbeat
• Fainting and loss of consciousness

The treatment process will first involve an initial consultation, followed by a thorough review of the patient’s medical history and a physical examination, which includes a heart examination. The heart examination may include undergoing an EKG and echocardiogram.

If it is determined that the patient indeed has a heart valve disease, treatment options include:

• Medication – Treatment through medication, based on symptoms
• Mitral Valve Replacement – The mitral valve is replaced with an artificial valve
• Mitral Valve Repair – The mitral valve is repaired at the problematic area. This can include suturing the valve or expanding the valve
• Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair with MitraClip – This involves using a clip on the mitral valve to stop leakage; suitable for patients with severe leakage or high-risk patients such as older adults
• Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR) – Open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve with an artificial valve
• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) – Replacement of the aortic valve without open-heart surgery. The procedure uses a catheter inserted through the patient’s blood vessels to reach the heart and expand the valve.

TAVI: an alternative treatment