Heart and valve care

Get care from a leader in heart valve and structural heart care at Ascension Sacred Heart in Northwest Florida.

Heart and valve care in Northwest Florida

Get care from a leader in heart valve and structural heart care at Ascension Sacred Heart in Northwest Florida.

Why choose us

When you choose Ascension Sacred Heart for your heart care, your doctor is part of a nation-leading team with specialists who care for more hearts than any other health system in Florida.

Understand your heart valve disease

Cardiologists at Ascension Sacred Heart specialize in heart and valve disease, which is when one or more heart valves don’t work properly. The valves normally keep blood flow moving forward in one direction. And they prevent the backward flow of blood as it leaves each chamber of the heart.

There are two main types of heart valve disease:

  • Leakage of the valve (regurgitation or insufficiency): When the valve does not close completely, it causes blood to flow backward through the valve. This reduces forward blood flow and can lead to volume overload in the heart.
  • Narrowing of the valve (stenosis): When the valve opening becomes narrowed, it limits the blood flow out of the heart. The heart is forced to pump blood with more force to move blood through the narrowed or stiff valve.

Heart valves can develop both regurgitation and stenosis at the same time. Also, more than one heart valve can be affected at the same time.

Symptoms of heart valve disease

Common symptoms of heart valve disease include:

  • Chest pain
  • Severe tiredness (fatigue)
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Low or high blood pressure, depending on the type of valve disease
  • Shortness of breath with activity or rest
  • Belly pain because of an enlarged liver (if the tricuspid valve isn’t working correctly)
  • Swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, abdomen, or veins in the neck

How we diagnose heart valve disease

Your doctor may think you have heart valve disease if your heart doesn’t sound right through a stethoscope. They may hear abnormal sounds because of abnormal blood flow across a valve.

A tiny, hollow tube (catheter) is put through a large artery or vein in the leg or arm leading to the heart. It measures heart pressure. Contrast dye is injected so the healthcare provider can see images of the heart and blood vessels.

This test makes images of internal tissues, bones, and organs on film. An X-ray can show enlargement in any area of the heart.

This test uses X-rays and a computer to make images of organs and structures within the body. Contrast dye is often used to help make out the structures of the heart, including the heart valves.

Cardiac CT angiography is also used to help plan transcatheter valve procedures such as TAVR.

This test uses sound waves (ultrasound) to evaluate the heart’s chambers and valves. An image on a screen is created as an ultrasound probe (transducer) is passed over the heart. This is the best test for looking at heart valve function.

This test records the electrical activity of the heart and shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias). It can also sometimes detect heart muscle damage.

This test uses a combination of large magnets, radio waves, and a computer to make images of organs and structures in the body.

This test records images of your heart before and after you exercise. If you are unable to exercise, medicine may be given to raise your heart rate. A stress test helps your healthcare provider evaluate your heart when it's working hard.

A small ultrasound probe is passed down into the esophagus. The sound waves create an image of the valves and chambers of the heart on a computer screen without the ribs or lungs getting in the way.

How we treat heart valve disease

Treatment for heart valve disease may include medication, therapy or surgery.

For this nonsurgical procedure, a special hollow tube (catheter) is put into a blood vessel in the groin and guided into the heart. At the tip of the catheter is a deflated balloon that is inserted into the narrowed heart valve. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to stretch the valve open, and then removed. This procedure is only used to treat stenotic (narrowed) valves.

Your cardiologist may recommend medications to help manage your heart condition. Mediation may be used to lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots, lower cholesterol and more.

For this nonsurgical procedure, a new aortic valve is placed inside the older narrowed valve. This is done using catheters, balloons, and wires inserted through the arteries of the groin. Or in some cases, they may be inserted through the arteries of the arms or the apex of the heart. This procedure is currently used mostly for aortic stenosis, although it is being studied for use for aortic regurgitation.

These are minimally invasive procedures. The healthcare provider replaces the heart valves. It's done through an artery (for the aortic valve) or a vein (for the tricuspid, pulmonary, or mitral valve) and is often performed from the groin.

Cardiac surgeons treat complex heart valve disease to repair damaged heart valves through open heart surgery and minimally invasive procedures, including TAVR and MitraClip™. When one or both of your valves do not open or close correctly, it can lead to reduced blood flow, cause the heart to work harder, and result in symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting, or even heart failure.

Get a second opinion from a heart specialist

Decisions about your heart care are important. Getting a second opinion not only provides more information about your condition, but it can help you feel more confident in the doctor and the care plan you choose. Consider getting a second opinion if:

  • Your diagnosis or prognosis is unclear
  • You’ve been told you have a rare or life-threatening condition
  • You would like to explore other treatment options
  • Your treatment options are costly or risky
  • You want to hear an opinion from another specialist
  • Your insurance requires a second opinion

How to get care

stethoscope

To make an appointment, a referral should be made by your primary care doctor or another specialist. Once the referral is received and reviewed, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist.

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.

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