Heart Valve Problems

Your heart's job is to pump blood through your body. That job starts with pumping blood through the heart itself. Inside your heart, blood passes through a series of one-way gates called valves. If a valve works poorly, not enough blood moves forward. A problem heart valve may not open wide enough, not close tightly enough, or both. In any case, not enough blood gets sent out to the body. This causes the symptoms you feel.

Symptoms of Heart Valve Problems

You can have a problem valve for decades yet have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may come on so slowly that you barely notice them. In other cases, though, symptoms appear suddenly. You might have one or more of these symptoms:

• Problems breathing when you lie down, exert yourself, or get stressed emotionally

• Pain, pressure, tightness, or numbness in your chest, neck, back, or arms (angina)

• Feeling dizzy, faint, or lightheaded

• Tiredness, especially with activity or as the day goes on

• Waking up at night coughing or short of breath

• A fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat

• A fluttering feeling in your chest

• Swollen ankles or feet