Things You Should Know About Mitral Valve Repair And Replacement

Mitral valve is the valve located between the left heart chambers- left atrium and left ventricle. To treat diseases of the mitral valve, mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement are procedures that may be performed. Different types of mitral valve disease exist:

1.      The flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve don't close tightly in mitral valve regurgitation, causing blood to leak backward into the left atrium, which commonly occurs due to valve leaflets bulging back — a condition called mitral valve prolapse.

2.      The leaflets become thick or stiff in another condition called mitral valve stenosis, and they may fuse together, which results in a narrowed valve opening and reduced blood flow through the valve.

Mitral valve disease treatment depends on the severity of one’s condition. Doctors may recommend surgery to repair or replace mitral valves for some individuals with the disease. Open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgeries are some of the surgical procedures that exist to repair or replace the mitral valves.

Risks:

Bleeding, blood clots, infection, heart rhythm problems, stroke, valve dysfunction in replacement valves and death are some of the mitral valve repair and replacement surgery risks.

Preparation:     

Your doctor and treatment team will explain to you what to expect before, during and after the surgery, and potential risks of the surgery. They’ll discuss concerns you may have about your repair or replacement surgery. The procedure will necessitate for you to shave hair off at the location of your body where the procedure will take place. Do talk to your family about your hospital stay and discuss help you may need when you return home before being admitted to the hospital for your surgery. You’ll need to follow specific instructions in terms of food and medications, clothing and personal items, precautions regarding medications and allergies, etc. given by your doctor and treatment team during your recovery when you return home.

Mitral Valve Repair- Mitral valve repair surgery may involve patching holes in a valve, reconnecting valve leaflets, removing excess valve tissue so that the leaflets can close tightly, replacing cords that support the valve to repair the structural support, and separating valve leaflets that have fused. Surgeons may tighten or reinforce the ring around the valve (annulus) in a procedure called an annuloplasty, too.

Mitral Valve Replacement- Your doctor may recommend replacement if your mitral valve can’t be repaired wherein your doctor removes the valve and replaces it with a mechanical valve. You’ll need to take blood-thinning medications for the rest of your life to prevent clots if you have a mechanical valve. You aren’t required to worry as doctors will discuss with you the risks and benefits of each type of valve and discuss which valve may be appropriate for you.

Results:

You may be able to return to daily activities, such as working, driving and exercise after mitral valve repair or replacement surgery. Your healthcare provider will discuss with you when you can return to activities, but you'll generally still need to take certain medications. Moreover, you’ll need to attend regular follow-up appointments, and you may have several tests to evaluate and monitor your condition.

CPR Louisville offers CPR courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers. Either register online, or call on 502-804-6132 to sign up for a course at CPR Louisville. 

Things About Heart Diseases And Disorders You Should Know

Millions of people experience abnormal or irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias, at some points in their lives, which most of the time are harmless and also happen in healthy people free of heart disease. However, some abnormal heart rhythms can be serious or even life-threatening. For example, ventricular fibrillation (it is the leading cause of a cardiac arrest). Having other types of heart disease can also increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.

Heart Disease Categories:

Electrical- Problems with the electrical system that regulates the steady heartbeat can cause abnormal heart rhythms. The heart rate may be too slow or too fast, it may be steady or become chaotic. Some arrhythmias are very deadly and cause sudden cardiac death, while others may be bothersome but not life-threatening.

Structural- Your heart muscles or valves can get damaged by cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) and congenital abnormalities (problems in the development of the ticker and blood vessels which are present from birth).

Circulatory- High blood pressure (HBP) and coronary artery disease are the main causes of blood vessel disorders which can result in a stroke or heart attack. The good part is there are many preventive and treatment options.

Before talking about the disorders in detail, learn more about the life-saving CPR procedure.

Proper application of the CPR technique (a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths) can revive the life of a victim involved in a cardiac arrest. Select a certified training site for acquiring training, such as the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky. Courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers are offered. Training in how to operate the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) device is also imparted to the students. The process of defibrillation involves application of an electric shock (with AED device) to the chest of a victim to restore normal rhythm (provided the rhythm is shockable like Ventricular Fibrillation).

For an ACLS certification Louisville, sign up for an ACLS class and become certified.

ACLS Training Classes- An Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) class is designed for those who work in emergency response, intensive care units, the emergency department, anesthesia units, telemetry departments, cardiac catheterization labs, outpatient surgery centers, advanced dentistry, respiratory therapy departments, some pharmacy departments, and many more. Most employers of these departments require employees to be ACLS certified. An AHA ACLS certification comes with a validity of two years which means you’ll have to go for a renewal program to extend the validity of your AHA provider card.

Electrical Disorders:

Arrhythmias that start in the upper chambers of the ticker (the atria) include:

1.      Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) – In this condition, the heartbeat is irregular and rapid due to disorganized signals from the heart's electrical system. More than 2 million people in the US have AFib.

2.      Atrial Flutter (AFL) - Although it is similar to AFib as it also causes a fast beat in the atria, but AFL is caused by a single electrical wave that circulates very rapidly in the atrium.

3.      Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS) - This isn’t a disease but a group of signs or symptoms that show that the sinus node (the ticker’s natural electrical pacemaker) is not working properly.

4.      Sinus Tachycardia- Sinus tachycardia is a harmless faster rhythm, which is a normal increase in heart rate that happens with fever, excitement and exercise.

Arrhythmias that occur in the lower chambers of the ticker (the ventricles) include:

1.      Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) - VT is a life-threatening arrhythmia, which is usually seen along with other serious heart disease but sometimes happens in individuals with normal hearts.

2.      Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) - The heartbeat is fast and chaotic in VF, causing the lower heart chambers, or ventricles, to spasm. Sudden cardiac arrest caused by VF is the cause of half of all deaths related to the ticker.

Circulatory Disorders:

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) - Heart attack occurs when arteries become so clogged that the blood flow to the ticker is reduced or stopped, the lack of oxygen can damage or kill the heart muscle.

Strokes- Strokes aren’t true disorders of the ticker, they are caused by blockage or reduced blood flow to the brain.

Structural Diorders:

Heart Failure (HF) - HF or cardiomyopathy sets in when the heart muscle is too weak to effectively pump blood through the body. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to stop or slow down the worsening of HF.

Heart Valve Problems- They can develop on their own or can be inherited, and affect the ticker's ability to push blood efficiently from chamber to chamber, and out to the rest of the body.

Sign up for a CPR course today at CPR Louisville and contribute towards the safety of cardiac arrest victims. Call on 502-804-6132 to know more.