Heart Valve Disease: Prevention
Heart valve disease is a condition in which one or more of your heart valves don’t work properly.
Part of: Heart Valve Disease
Prevention of Heart Valve Disease
To prevent heart valve disease caused by rheumatic fever, see your doctor if you have signs of a strep infection. These signs include a painful sore throat, fever, and white spots on your tonsils.
If you do have a strep infection, be sure to take all medicines prescribed to treat it. Prompt treatment of strep infections can prevent rheumatic fever, which damages the heart valves.
It’s possible that exercise, a healthy diet, and medicines that lower cholesterol might prevent aortic stenosis (thickening and stiffening of the aortic valve). Researchers continue to study this possibility.
A healthy diet, physical activity, other lifestyle changes, and medicines aimed at preventing a heart attack, high blood pressure, or heart failure also may help prevent heart valve disease.
If you’ve had previous heart valve disease and now have a man-made valve, you’re at risk for a heart infection called… Read more about Heart Valve Disease: Prevention