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Heart and valve care in Chicagoland
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Aortic valve disease
The aortic valve regulates blood flow from the left side of your heart to your aorta and on to the rest of your body. The valve can become damaged and narrow (stenosis) or leak (regurgitation). This forces your heart to work harder and may lead to more serious conditions, such as heart failure or heart attack.
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Symptoms of aortic valve disease
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Types of aortic valve disease
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Treatment options for aortic valve disease
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Adult congenital heart disease
Congenital heart disease develops before birth and affects the structure or function of your heart. If you have been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, talk to your doctor about risk factors and treatments that are right for you.
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Types of congenital heart disease
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Treatment options for congenital heart disease
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Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) causes the muscles of your heart to thicken, making it harder to pump blood. This may lead to heart rhythm disorders or even cardiac arrest. For many people, HOCM is an inherited condition that shows very few or no symptoms at all.
Your heart specialist at Ascension Illinois may recommend alcohol septal ablation or surgical septal myectomy to treat HOCM. During alcohol septal ablation, your doctor uses a catheter to inject alcohol into a small heart artery (septal branch) to help shrink the thickened muscle. A septal myectomy is an open-heart surgery that removes a portion of the thickened heart muscle to help improve blood flow. Many patients with HOCM may need a defibrillator device to help treat heart arrhythmias.
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Left atrial appendage
The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a small pocket near the upper left chamber of your heart. If you have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib), your doctor may recommend a closure device to seal this opening. By closing the LAA, patients are at lower risk for blood clots and potential stroke – without the long-term use of blood thinners.
LAA closure devices include the WATCHMAN and the Amplatzer Amulet™. If your doctor recommends open-heart surgery, the Atricure AtriClip device may also be used to close off your LAA.
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Mitral valve disease
The mitral valve separates the two left chambers of your heart and serves as a backstop to the main pumping chamber of your heart (the left ventricle). Mitral valve disease is a group of conditions where the valve has been damaged and no longer functions properly.
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Symptoms of mitral valve disease
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Types of mitral valve disease
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Treatment options for mitral valve disease
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Tricuspid valve disease
Your tricuspid valve helps regulate blood flow between the two right chambers of your heart. When your tricuspid begins to leak or narrow, your heart is forced to work harder to push blood to the lungs. If left untreated, tricuspid valve disease can lead to congestive heart failure, liver and kidney failure.
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Symptoms of tricuspid valve disease
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Types of tricuspid valve disease
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Treatment options for tricuspid valve disease
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What is the most common type of heart disease?
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What is the difference between a cardiologist and interventional cardiologist?
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What are symptoms of heart valve disease?
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What are the signs of heart valve problems?
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Can heart valve disease be treated?
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How do I find a heart valve specialist near me?