Valvular & Structural Heart Disease
What is Structural Heart Disease?
People with structural heart disease have conditions that affect the heart’s valves or chambers. These problems affect the heart’s ability to pump and circulate blood.
Some people are born with congenital heart defects, meaning the problems are present at birth. Some structural heart problems develop with age or after an illness or infection.
The most common types of structural heart disease are:
- Aortic valve disease
- Congenital conditions such as patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Mitral valve disease
- Tricuspid and pulmonic valve disease
Less-invasive Treatment Options
For years, structural heart diseases have been treated with open heart surgery, but now less-invasive options are available as an alternative. Advantages:
- Shorter procedure times
- Shorter hospital stays
- Little to no scarring
- Faster recovery
- Less blood loss
- Fewer complications
- Decreased pain