Heart Valve Disease Treatment

Beaumont is the leader in the treatment of heart valve disease. In some cases, the only treatment for heart valve disease may be careful medical supervision. However, other treatment options may include medication, surgery to repair the valve, or surgery to replace the valve. Specific treatment will be determined by Beaumont's heart team based on:

  • your age, overall health, and medical history
  • extent of the disease
  • the location of the valve
  • your signs and symptoms
  • your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
  • expectations for the course of the disease
  • your opinion or preference

Treatment varies, depending on the type of heart valve disease, and may include one, or a combination of, the following:

Medication

Medications are not a cure for heart valve disease, but in some cases it can be successful in the treatment of symptoms caused by heart valve disease. These medications may include:

  • Medications such as beta-blockers, digoxin and calcium channel blockers to rcontrol the heart rate and helping to prevent abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Medications to control blood pressure, such as diuretics (medications that remove excess water from the body by increasing urine output) or vasodilators (medications that relax the blood vessels, decreasing the force against which the heart must pump) to ease the work of the heart.

Catheter-Based, Non-invasive Treatments

  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): a minimally invasive treatment option using a catheter-based approach for intermediate and high-risk patients suffering aortic stenosis.
  • Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR): a minimally invasive option using a catheter-based approach for high-risk patients whose existing mitral valve (native valve or prosthesis) is diseased and who are too ill or too frail for traditional heart valve surgery. Patients receiving this treatment are diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis or mitral valve regurgitation.
  • MitraClip: Beaumont heart specialists performing percutaneous (through the skin) procedure using the MitraClip system for patients with moderately sever to severe mitral regurgitation who may be too high risk for standard open-heart surgery.
  • Balloon Valvuloplasty: a treatment in which catheters are usually inserted via the femoral artery and femoral vein, which are used as the pathways to the heart. A balloon catheter is advanced into the heart and guided to the narrowed valve. The balloon on the catheter is inflated and when it expands it opens the valve and separates the leaflets. Once cardiologists deem the valve is properly repaired, the balloon and catheters are removed.

Surgery

Surgery may be necessary to repair or replace the malfunctioning valve(s). Surgery may include minimally invasive heart surgery or open-heart surgery (full sternotomy).

When you are talking with your surgeon, ask whether you are a candidate for minimally invasive valve surgery, as it helps reduce risks and complications and can also improve your recovery time and your return to everyday activities sooner.

Beaumont's heart team will work with your to create a customized treatment plan designed specifically to treat your symptoms and risk factors.