Heart Valve Disease Treatment (cont.)
What Happens After the Procedure?
After the procedure, you will need to continue seeing your doctor regularly to make sure your heart valves are working properly. Lifestyle factors that can worsen valve disease may also need to be modified. An exercise program may be prescribed to improve your cardiac health.
Are There Side Effects Associated With Balloon Valvuloplasty?
Once you go home after the procedure, call your doctor or nurse immediately if you have:
- Fever of 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) or higher
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Unusual swelling or weight gain
- Bleeding, swelling, pain or discoloration at your groin site
- A return of previous symptoms (before the procedure was performed)
Does Balloon Valvuloplasty Cure Valve Disease?
Balloon valvuloplasty may relieve many of the symptoms of valve disease, but it will not cure valve disease. Some people may continue to need medications, even after a successful procedure.
To protect your heart valves from further damage, tell your doctors, dentist and other health care providers that you have valve disease so antibiotics can be prescribed before you undergo any procedure that may cause bleeding. Also, it is important to take good care of your teeth and gums to prevent valve infection.
Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Pain Management Department.
Edited by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, June 2004.
Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2003
Last Editorial Review: 1/31/2005 10:49:42 AM
- Coronary Artery Disease Screening Tests - Learn about coronary artery disease (CAD) and screening tests to detect this form of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions on Medicinenet.com
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm - Learn about abdominal aortic aneurysms including how they tend to develop, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, how they are repaired, and what happens if they rupture.
- Angioplasty and Stents (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, PCI) - Balloon angioplasty of the coronary artery and stents (percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI) is a non-surgical procedure that relieves narrowing and obstruction of the arteries to the muscle of the heart. PCI can relieve chest pain (angina), minimize or stop a heart attack, or improve the prognosis of patients with unstable angina. The availability of stainless steel stents have expanded the spectrum of patients suitable for PCI.
Latest Medical News
Heart RSS