Shortness of breath, progressive fatigue, inability to perform basic tasks such as climbing a flight of stairs or going up a slope, swollen legs and difficulty breathing when lying down – these are “symptoms that older people think are natural in their age, but which could be in reality manifestations of diseases caused by exhaustion of the heart valves”, explained Rui Campante Teles , in an interview on RTP Channel, on November 4, apropos the International Day of Older Persons. The Hospital da Luz interventional cardiologist and national coordinator of the campaign “Válvula para a Vida” ( A Valve for Life ), of the Portuguese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention (APIC), alerted in particular to mitral valve insufficiency – the second most common disease of the heart valves. “It is highly important to value symptoms and promptly seek for medical help, in order to get the adequate diagnosis and initiate treatment as early as possible”, he highlighted. “The treatment of heart diseases is much more accessible nowadays. Besides medication, there are minimally invasive techniques, by catheterization, that allow to ‘repair’ the heart and make the mitral valve work again, without the need to open the chest”, added the specialist. Mitral insufficiency: Is more frequent in men and is the second disease of the heart valves most common all over the world, its prevalence being estimated to grow in the coming years, with the ageing of global population; Is characterized by the back flow of the blood through the mitral valve, when this is worn out. Therefore, when the left ventricle pumps the blood, part of it goes back towards the left atrium, increasing the amount of blood and pressure in that area; Leads to a lesser quantity of blood pumped to the general circulation and, simultaneously, an increase of pressure in the blood circulating to the lungs, compromising their function. Rui Campante Teles on RTP1
