Pulmonary Valve Disease

Symptoms | Treatments

What is

Causes and Risk Factors

Diagnosis

What is - Pulmonary Valve Disease

Pulmonary valve disease occurs when there is dysfunction in the pulmonary valve, which is located between the heart's lower right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, which is the artery that delivers blood to the lungs. This condition can inhibit blood flow from the heart to the lungs.

When functioning well, the pulmonary valve works as a one-way opening from the heart's right ventricle to the lungs, allowing blood without oxygen to flow through.

Pulmonary Valve Disease - Causes and Risk Factors

The main types of pulmonary valve disease are:

Pulmonary valve stenosis: This occurs when the pulmonary valve’s leaflets thicken, stiffen or fuse causing the opening to narrow.
Pulmonary valve regurgitation: This occurs when there is backflow of blood because the pulmonary valve does not close properly.

Most pulmonary valve diseases develop due to congenital heart defects (heart conditions present at birth). The treatment required will depend on the condition type and its severity.

Diagnosis of Pulmonary Valve Disease

Diagnosis typically starts with a physical examination by a doctor, assessing your medical history and routine tests. Other tests recommended may include: