Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care – Symptoms of Heart Valve Disease - New York

The symptoms of heart valve disease vary from person to person and are not indicative of the severity of the condition. For example, some people may experience no symptoms at all yet have severe heart valve disease because they have become conditioned or the heart enlarges to overcompensate. Regardless of whether an individual has valvular regurgitation or valvular stenosis, the symptoms of heart valve disease are usually the same.

Symptoms of heart valve disease can include:

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing when performing daily activities or lying down flat.
• A feeling of weakness or dizziness that prevents a person from performing daily activities. Some people may pass out.
• Pressure or "weight" in the chest when performing daily activities or when in cold air.
• Palpitations that give the feeling of a rapid heartbeat, an irregular heartbeat, skipped beats or a flip-flop feeling.
• Swelling, or edema, in the ankles, feet or abdomen.
• Rapid weight gain of up to two or three pounds a day.