Pulmonary valve stenosis

For individuals who have pulmonary valve stenosis with little or no symptoms, regular medical checkups to monitor the narrowed valve and the patient's overall health are usually recommended. If symptoms develop, medications may be used to control pain, reduce the workload on the heart, and regulate the heart's rhythm, and in some cases may slow the progression of stenosis and delay the need for surgery. Common medications used to treat pulmonary valve stenosis include:

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• Digitalis to improve heart function
• Diuretics to reduce swelling and ease the heart's workload
• Anticoagulant medicines to prevent blood clots
• Beta-blockers to control the heart rate and lower blood pressure
• Calcium channel blockers to lower blood pressure

Read more in the section on medications.

As conditions change, surgery or catheterization may be necessary. Pulmonary valve stenosis, when it occurs in isolation of any other abnormalities, is usually treated by a cardiologist using balloon dilation to mechanically widen the valve. Balloon dilation is a heart catheterization technique. More detail about heart catheterization can be found in the testing section.

However, if the valve stenosis is severe or involves other abnormalities in the heart, surgery may be necessary to repair the defect. Heart surgeons generally agree that, whenever possible, a heart valve should be repaired instead of replaced. The advantage of heart valve repair is that patients retain their own normally functioning tissue, which is resistant to infection and does not require blood-thinning medication. In some cases, the valve is too damaged for repair and must be replaced with a prosthetic valve.