Heart valve disorders. Simple precautions prevent complex problems.

Yo u 've known about your heart va l ve " murmur " for years. What you don't k n ow is whether you'll ever need surgery to repair or replace the va l ve. M a ny people with heart va l ve problems are concerned about the possibility of someday needing open-heart surgery. Fortunately, the majority of people with heart valve problems won't suffer any ill effects or ever need s u r g e r y. In addition, most people with heart va l ve disorders who take a few simple precautions, including regular heart ch e ckups, can often avo i d complications. If symptoms of valve disease do arise, various types of surgery — often with high success rates — can fix most problems, allowing you to live a full, healthy life. Your heart contains four ch a m-bers. The two upper chambers (atria) r e c e ive blood, then fill the two low e r chambers (ventricles), wh i ch pump blood. The ventricle on the right side pumps blood through the lungs and back to the left side of the heart. The Visit us on the Internet at the address listed to the left, where you'll find more health information, great offers and more!