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Treatments for valvular heart disease |
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Written by Administrator
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Friday, 22 January 2010 15:11 |
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Although treatments for valvular heart disease can vary depending on what valve is affected and how severe your condition is, treatment options generally include:
- * Medications. It's possible your valvular heart disease, if mild, can be managed with only medications. Commonly prescribed medications for valvular heart disease include medications to open your blood vessels (vasodilators), medications to lower your cholesterol (statins), medications that reduce water retention (diuretics), and blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants).
- * Balloon valvuloplasty. This procedure is sometimes used as a treatment for valve stenosis. During this procedure, your doctor threads a small tube through a vein in your leg and up to your heart. An uninflated balloon is placed through the opening of the narrowed pulmonary valve. Your doctor then inflates the balloon, opening up the narrowed pulmonary valve and increasing the area available for blood flow.
- * Valve repair or replacement. If your condition is severe, you may need surgery to correct your condition. Your doctor may be able to repair the valve. If the valve can't be repaired, it may be replaced with a replacement valve that's made of synthetic materials.
Link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/DS01120/METHOD=print
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