<s>[INST] How is Heart Valve Disease Treated? [/INST] Treatment for heart valve disease aims to protect your valve and heart from additional damage while reducing symptoms caused by valvular heart disease. Early treatment options may include medication and lifestyle changes, but often surgery is necessary to repair or replace the damaged valve or valves. Valve surgery involves two major categories—valve replacement and valve repair.

Medical experts will help decide the best treatment course based on the type of valve disease, severity of valve damage and a patient's age and medical history.

Pre-Surgery Treatment Options

Doctors may prescribe both medications and lifestyle changes to alleviate symptoms before the need for heart valve surgery. Doctors may also want time to monitor the heart valve before deciding on repair or replacement. Medications used include beta blockers to control heart rate and blood pressure medications to reduce the heart's workload.

Repair of Valves with Valvular Heart Disease

A repair of a diseased heart valve repair aims to fix the valve without a full replacement. A valve repair procedure often comes with a lower level of after-surgery monitoring and medication because the procedures are commonly less invasive with the use of catheters. A valve repair may include sculpting abnormal valve tissue to improve the function of the valve, patching holes, separating fused valve leaflets, replacing supportive cords or removing excess tissue. Surgeons may use clips or plugs and could add a ring to reinforce the valve. Source: BRIGHAM AND WOMENS. Link: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/heart-and-vascular-center/diseases-and-conditions/heart-valve-disease. Field: Cardiovascular. Disease: Heart Valve Disease </s>