Pulmonary Valve Disease
The pulmonary valve is located between the right lower chamber of your heart (right ventricle) and your lungs. Pulmonary valve disease refers to any abnormality of the pulmonary valve that causes reduced blood flow from your heart to your lungs. When the pulmonary valve is too narrow, it is classified as pulmonary valve stenosis. When the pulmonary valve doesn’t close properly and lets blood flow backwards into the heart instead of towards the lungs, it is classified as pulmonary valve regurgitation. Symptoms of pulmonary valve disease include:
- abnormal heart sound (heart murmur) heard through a stethoscope
- shortness of breath, especially when lying down on your back or during exercise
- fatigue
- lightheadedness
- chest pain
- fainting
There are several treatment options for pulmonary valve diseases. Your doctor may prescribe medications that help fix the structure of the valve. Your doctor may also perform a balloon valvuloplasty, where he will insert a balloon into the valve and inflate the balloon to open the valve, allowing more effective blood flow to your lungs.