Ask the doctor: How do I know if my new valve isn't working correctly?
Ask the doctor
How do I know if my new valve isn't working correctly?
Q. I had a mechanical valve put in to replace a stiff aortic valve. But it hasn't made a big difference in how I feel. I still get short of breath when I try to walk fast. Could it be the wrong size, or not working properly?
A. There are a number of reasons why you might still have trouble catching your breath during exercise after getting a new aortic valve. It could be due to a problem in your lungs, something that would not have been changed by your new heart valve. It is possible that the strain your leaking aortic valve put on your heart could have caused your left ventricle to enlarge. In some people, an enlarged left ventricle causes persistent shortness of breath even after an aortic valve replacement. Another possibility is that you just need more time to recover from open-heart surgery. Your muscles may be out of shape, or blood loss during the operation could have made you anemic, which makes the heart and lungs work harder.
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