Aortic valve regurgitation

3 imperatives to transform health care in America. You're invited to watch it live

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

To improve your quality of life if you have aortic valve regurgitation, your physician may — in addition to other treatments — recommend that you:

  • Control high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the strain on your aortic valve.
  • Use less salt. Cutting back on how much salt you use helps you maintain your blood pressure within a normal range, which is important if you have aortic valve regurgitation.
  • See your dentist regularly. Follow your recommended schedule for care.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Keep your weight within a range recommended by your doctor. Extra weight makes extra work for your heart.
  • Exercise. Follow an exercise program within guidelines recommended by your doctor. He or she may recommend a certain intensity level according to the severity of your aortic valve regurgitation. Exercise itself does not fix this condition, but it can help to lower your blood pressure. Exercise also helps maintain your general fitness, which will help with your recovery if you need heart surgery.
  • See your doctor regularly. Establish a regular evaluation schedule with your cardiologist or primary care provider.

If you're a woman of childbearing age with aortic valve regurgitation, discuss pregnancy and family planning with your doctor because your heart works harder during pregnancy. How a heart with aortic valve regurgitation tolerates this extra work depends on the degree of leakage and how well your heart pumps. If you become pregnant, you'll need evaluation by your cardiologist and obstetrician throughout your pregnancy, labor and delivery, and after delivery.

Prevention Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Aortic regurgitation. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/print_presenter.jhtml?identifier=4448. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  2. Rakel RE, et al. Valvular heart disease. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier. 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1160-8..10027-2--s0310&isbn=978-1-4377-1160-8&uniqId=258746827-3. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  3. O'Gara P, et al. Valvular heart disease. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Online. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2902425&searchStr=aortic+valve+insufficiency. Accessed June 18, 2011.
  4. Bashore TM, et al. Heart disease. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment. 50th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3896&searchStr=aortic+valve+insufficiency. Accessed June 18, 2011.
  5. Congestive heart failure. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4585. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  6. How the healthy heart works. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/AboutCongenitalHeartDefects/How-the-Healthy-Heart-Works_UCM_307016_Article.jsp. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  7. Gaasch WH. Pathophysiology and clinical features of chronic aortic regurgitation in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  8. Gaasch WH. Course and management of chronic aortic regurgitation in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  9. Your guide to a healthy heart. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/your_guide/healthyheart.pdf. Accessed June 21, 2011.
  10. Otto CM. Acute aortic regurgitation in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  11. Khawaja MZ, et al. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation for stenosed and regurgitant aortic valve bioprostheses. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2010;55:97.
  12. Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 6, 2011.
DS00419 Sept. 22, 2011

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger