Structural Heart Disease - Types, Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment

As the name indicates, structural heart disease may occur due to any issue with the structure of your heart. That means a person with this condition may have any abnormality in the structure or function of his heart’s chambers, valves, walls, or muscles.

Some people are born with this condition, while others develop it as they age. If it is left untreated, it can lead to other serious health issues. Hence, it’s best to see your cardiologist in New York regularly if you have this condition.

This blog describes the different types of structural disease, who can get it, its causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Different Types of Structural Heart Disease -

Generally speaking, there are three main types of structural heart disease. They are listed here-

Heart Valve Disease - It’s a condition where a valve of the heart opens and closes to control blood flow.

Cardiomyopathy- It’s a disease that involves the muscles of the heart. 

Congenital Heart Disease- It’s a broad term for structural heart problems that a person may have since the time of birth. 

Who Is At Risk?

Typically, it can affect anyone. No matter what your gender, race, or ethnicity is! Usually, people with a family history of structural heart disease are more likely to get it. 

In addition, it is more common in people whose -

• Biological mother had exposure to industrial solvents during the period of pregnancy 

• Parents had rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy

• Parents had consumed certain medications

• Parents had taken alcohol during pregnancy

• Parents had any viral infections during pregnancy

Also, the risk of developing this disease increases as you get older. If you are at risk of developing this disease, it’s best to see a cardiologist in New York regularly and keep a check on your heart health.

Symptoms of Structural Heart Disease:

A person may not have any symptoms of this condition. But as the disease progresses, he can experience the following signs -

• Chest pain or tightness.

• Irregular heartbeats.

• Shortness of breath.

• Dizziness or fainting.

• Fatigue.

• High blood pressure.

• Kidney dysfunction.

• Abdominal swelling.

If you are living across Brooklyn and suspect these symptoms, you can visit a primary care doctor in Brooklyn, NY.

Causes of Structural Heart Disease -

As already discussed above, a person may have this condition at birth. And due to problems with the body’s DNA or genetics, the heart may develop abnormally. 

And if it occurs later in life, it could be due to the following causes -

• Cardiovascular disease.

• Heart attack.

• Amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, sarcoidosis, or other diseases that damage the heart.

• Atherosclerosis.

• Aging

• Excessive consumption of alcohol.

• Aortic aneurysm.

• Autoimmune disease

• Diabetes

• Thyroid disease.

• High blood pressure

• Muscle conditions. For example- muscular dystrophy.

Treatment of Structural Heart Disease -

Some people won’t need any treatment. But they need to monitor their condition throughout their life. And to ensure their heart is healthy and functioning well, they should regularly schedule a visit to their cardiologist. 

Based on your condition, your primary care doctor in Brooklyn, NY, may treat the disease with -

• Necessary Medications.

• Minimally Invasive Heart Procedures - These procedures involve making small incisions to replace or repair a defective valve, if any. 

• Open-Heart Surgery - It’s done to allow a surgeon to open your chest wall and access your heart to replace a valve or for a heart transplant.