Heart valve calcification: Symptoms and treatment

Posted by Master, Doctor La Thi Thuy - Cardiovascular Center - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

Heart valve calcification is a common cardiovascular disease, potentially endangering the patient's life if not treated promptly, when calcified plaques increase the risk of blood clot formation and migration. into the general circulation causing narrowing of the blood vessels.

Cardiac valve calcification is a condition when plaques of calcium and fatty tissue and excess minerals build up in the valve. This makes the heart valves hard and narrow, opening and closing less flexibly. The heart valves cannot open and close normally, leading to the heart not working efficiently, reducing blood flow to the body. The narrowing of the heart valves gradually increases the resistance to blood flow and increases the heart's activity. In addition, calcified plaques increase the risk of blood clot formation, blood clots move into the general circulation causing narrowing of blood vessels, especially if coronary artery occlusion causes myocardial infarction, cerebral embolism causes stroke. stroke , affecting life

There are many causes of valvular calcification, one of the common causes is the normal aging of the heart valves, due to the fact that the heart is the most active organ in the body. In addition, genetics is also one of the contributing factors, congenital valve abnormalities will make the valve leaflets harden later. Other factors that can affect valvular calcification include: smoking, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Most heart valves calcify due to atherosclerosis, which is a process that causes blockages in the arteries in the heart as well as other parts of the body
Inflammation on the heart valves can also affect the heart. affects blood circulation, promotes calcification. Despite all the possible causes of valvular calcification, the exact mechanism underlying the disease is still under investigation.
Other causes of aortic valve calcification, or thickening of the valve may be post-radiotherapy to the chest and posterior rheumatic valve disease

The left heart valves (aortic and mitral) are the two most commonly calcified valves. The aortic valve is considered the main valve or “front gate of the heart”, controls all blood flow out of the heart and is the most common calcified heart valve. For the right heart valves (tricuspid and pulmonary valve) there is very rarely calcification of the leaflets, the reason is not really clear
Once calcified aortic valve, it affects to both the leaflets (portal) and the annulus (the ring that helps the leaflets stick). For mitral valve calcification, most of the time it affects only the annulus, but sometimes the leaflets are also affected. The most common pathology that can cause mitral valve calcification is posterior rheumatic heart disease.
Calcium deposits are most commonly seen in areas of eddy blood flow, the aortic valve being one of the most common sites between the left ventricle and the aorta. 2-piece aortic valve (BAV) and other valve abnormalities affect eddy flow, which is why these patients develop valve calcification at a much younger age. Bivalve aortic valve disease is the most common congenital anomaly, accounting for 1-2% of the general population.

Once valvular calcification and stenosis become severe, the patient develops dyspnea that increases with exertion. Headache and chest pain are other common symptoms.
Patients with long-term valvular calcification can affect the heart structure: the heart is enlarged as well as the thickening of the myocardium. Changing the structure of the heart will adversely affect the heart. All of these consequences will limit the patient's quality of life as well as life expectancy.
In rare cases, patients with aortic stenosis may experience cardiac arrest or sudden death. However, the likelihood of this happening is very low in asymptomatic patients. Such symptoms will quickly improve after heart valve replacement surgery.

Valve replacement is indicated in patients with valvular calcification that has progressed to the point where valve function is impaired and symptoms are present. There are two types of prosthetic valves currently in widespread use: mechanical and biological valves. Mechanical valves are usually made from metal. Biological valves are made from animal, bovine or pig tissue
Heart valve replacement can be done by the traditional route: open breast surgery or by minimally invasive method through a small incision in the chest. Another much less invasive option than surgery in older patients is transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
To protect general heart health and detect early signs of After myocardial infarction and stroke, customers can register for Cardiovascular Screening Package - Basic Cardiovascular Examination of Vinmec International General Hospital. The examination package helps to detect cardiovascular problems at the earliest through tests and modern imaging methods. The package is for all ages, genders and is especially essential for people with risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE

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