Valvar heart disease

Question 1

Things that can happen to the valves

Answer 1

Stenosis:
– valves become thickened or calcified or obstruct flow

Incompetence (insufficiency):
– fail to prevent reflex of blood

Vegetations:
– valve leaflets develop infective or thrombotic nodules

Dilation:
– dilation of ventricles increasing valve orifice

The most common problems are acquired left-sided valvar lesions

Question 2

Things that can happen to the valves

Answer 2

Stenosis:
– valves become thickened or calcified or obstruct flow

Incompetence (insufficiency):
– fail to prevent reflex of blood

Vegetations:
– valve leaflets develop infective or thrombotic nodules

Dilation:
– dilation of ventricles increasing valve orifice

The most common problems are acquired left-sided valvar lesions

Question 3

Innocent murmurs

Answer 3

murmurs may sometimes be heard with normal hearts (innocent murmurs)

Benign murmurs are soft, short, systolic, may vary with posture, and are not associated with signs of organic heart disease